Night and Day
by nomnom15
Summary: A new threat disturbs the peace of Olympus, and Zeus finds that the Hunters are not enough. Hopefully Apollo's suggestion works for a new prophecy involving Percy Jackson and a few familiar faces. Rated T for violence and suggestive themes. **Post SoN.
1. Prologue

_**A/N: Long story short, this is a simple idea that I got, that I might just run with. I may or may not continue it, but much of that argument depends on the feedback I get. Lastly, this story includes a very familiar OC, if some of you remember him from one of my other stories: Timothy, Son of Hectate. I just love the kid way too much not to make him apart of this. Hope you enjoy!**_

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><p><span>Third Person POV<span>

The cold air nipped at everyone as they slept. For a summer night, Camp Half-Blood was rather chilly. A young boy, about fourteen, slept silently in his cabin, praying in his dreams that he would not be awoken by anyone or anything. Unfortunately, his wish did not go through with whoever he was praying to.

Suddenly, a rustle of leaves was heard over the howling of the wind as the window pane of the Hectate Cabin was slowly opened up all the way to the top. A silent, black figure crept into the cabin carefully as the boys and girls slept quietly, some of them even unwillingly using magic above their heads.

The figure turned out to be a lean, somewhat muscular man with messy black hair, though if anyone were awake they could not tell. The only thing anyone could have deciphered was an unnatural glow to the man's green eyes. He slowly crept up precisely to the sleeping boy, who was snoring very loudly. He ran his fingers along the sheets and grabbed them at the hem, slowly pulling them off of the boy.

The man swallowed and put his hand on the boy's head, whispering ever so softly, "Tim, you awake?"

The young child shifted, cracked open his eyes, and yawned silently. He looked up, blinking. "Percy? What are you doing here?"

"'Bout to go smash on some Taco Bell. Wanna come?"

"Just us?"

"Naw, bro, you, Nico, Jason, and Mitchell, and I. You in?"

"Chiron said we can't leave camp like that."

"Hello? Senior Camper here. I practically run this place."

"O-OK, let me get my wallet—"

"No. I'm buying, my treat. Just get your shoes on and meet me outside by my Challenger."

Timothy walked outside his cabin and to the Challenger waiting for him. Percy and Mitchell were messing around, giving each other piggy back rides while Jason and Nico egged them on. Timothy walked up sheepishly, obviously nervous and tired. I mean, four of the most well-known campers at Camp-Half-Blood were asking him to hang out with them. That _had_ to be impressive.

Percy stopped messing around and dropped Mitchell on his feet. They looked at each other and smirked.

"Tim," Mitchell said, shaking his hand. "Wanna have an adventure?"

"Pardon, Mitchell, sir?"

"You don't have to call any of us sir. But yes. An _adventure_."

"Sure…"

* * *

><p>The boys all yelled down the hill with glee, not afraid to awaken the sleeping campers above. Percy indefinitely sped in the car, paying no mind to the numerous signs signifying speed limits.<p>

The boys stopped immediately at the side of a lone road. Though dark and chilly, the only one who was truly frightened was Timothy, who thought the scene looked like the first kill in a horror movie.

"Have I got a story for you," Percy mused, turning off his car engine. "Wanna hear? The weak-hearted should probably start cuddling."

The boys laughed and shoved each other, leaning in to hear Percy's tale.

As if on cue, a rush of wind had blown past the vehicle, and it was soon followed by utterly _massive_ boar charging through the woods. Immediately after this, beams of silver light flashed past the trees as if they were following the animal.

"What was that?" Timothy asked, genuinely scared.

"Why we brought you out here tonight," Jason said, trying not to laugh. "They're friends of ours. The most badass chicks you'll ever meet."

"Who?"

"_The Hunters of Artemis."_

Percy fixed his positioned and leaned against the back of the seat, inhaling as he did so. "OK," he whispered. "Here we go. The Legend of the Hunters."

* * *

><p><em>Long ago, there was a woman who was charmed by Zeus, God of the Skies. Her name was Leto. Zeus being the man he is could not resist the beauty and charm of the magnificent woman. <em>

_Unfortunately, Leto was forbidden by the jealous __Hera__ to give birth anywhere on the earth but the floating island of Delos, which provided her much needed sanctuary. Immediately after her birth, Artemis helped her mother deliver __Apollo__, God of the Sun. _

_When she was three years old, Artemis asked her father to grant her one wish. She desired, among other things, a silver bow. She held a passion for hunting and wanted to roam the wilderness forever, until the end of her days. He held a special pride for his daughter, so Zeus granted her wish. He also took a vow on the __River Styx__ that he would never force her to marry or have children. The River Styx, of course, is a river in the Underworld that a God can swear on, which entails unbreakable promises._

* * *

><p>"Yeah, they're <em>unbreakable<em> alright," Nico and Jason chortled.

"Shut up, you two!" Percy growled. "I'm trying to teach Timothy something!"

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><p><em>Artemis once befriended a huntsman named <em>_Orion__. As they spent more time together, Artemis began to fall in love with the demigod. Jealous of their relationship, her brother __Apollo__ sent a scorpion to kill the man. When the scorpion succeeded, Artemis was devastated by the loss. To honor him, Artemis sent both Orion and the scorpion into the sky as constellations. _

_Many stories were told of Artemis defending her virginity from others. Many such as the giant Otus, had tried to seize her for his wife. Others such as Actaeon were punished for seeing her nude form. Many of Artemis' myths placed her in the role of an avenger. She is said to have caused quick deaths to her victims with her silver arrows. _

_To ensure her status as a virgin, Artemis started recruiting. Any woman, demigod, mortal, or nymph could join her. Join her in what, you ask? To defend the world from evil as the Hunters. The Hunters of Artemis._

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><p>"Wow," Timothy imagined. "I'd love to meet them."<p>

"That might not be such a good idea," Mitchell chuckled. "Trust me, they wouldn't like you."

"But…why? I'm cool right?"

Before Mitchell could answer, Percy thumped him and cleared his throat. "I'LL tell him, thank you very much."

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><p><em>The Hunters traveled all over the world, hunting rogue Gods, Monsters, even Titans. Until one Hunter came along and changed everything.<em>

_Zoë Nightshade._

_Zoë was a formidable Hunter and a fierce warrior. An old friend of hers betrayed her, however. The hero you all know as Hercules._

_Hercules was a brave hero, or as many people had believed him to be. After giving him her prized hair pin, Hercules left her at the mercy of her cruel family. His promises of love, marriage, and loyalty burned faster than he set the flames._

_Luckily, Artemis found her and took pity on her. It was from then on that every Hunter had to swear on oath: to stand by Artemis' side and forsake the company of men forever._

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><p>"So…they don't like boys?" Timothy said, brokenheartedly.<p>

"Not one bit," Nico said, this time a bit more serious. "Except for maybe Percy, Jason and I."

"Thanks, dick," Mitchell growled, shoving Nico against the seat, causing the boys to laugh.

"Guys, SHUT up, for one second!" Percy tried not to shout, afraid of catching the Hunter's attention. "I'm not finished yet!"

Timothy sat up, eager to hear Percy speak again.

"Look," Percy said seriously, "the point is, watch your back around these girls. There _is_ no boy version of this group. They are men-hating, tough-as-nails girls who are incredibly relentless."

At that point, the boys covered their eyes to a flash of light. In front of them stood a proud looking God, his arms crossed cockily. It was Apollo, God of the Sun.

"Ha," Apollo mused, unafraid of the volume of his own voice. "No boy version, eh? That may change _very_ soon."

Percy sat in disbelief, and sureness that they were alone and that no one had followed them. And here was living proof that they were not as sneaky as they had previously thought.

"What do you mean, Lord Apollo?" Mitchell asked carefully, with as much respect as he could muster.

"There's a disturbance near Olympus. The Gods say that I should check it out, but I can't do it alone."

"So you need your own…Hunters?"

"Simply a strike-force," Apollo shrugged. "Whatever is made of it is obviously made of it."

"Who did you have in mind?"

"All five of you: Percy, Jason, Nico, Mitchell, and our new boy, Timothy."

Timothy's eyes lit up slightly. The idea of helping the God of the Sun on a covert operation excited him beyond his own comprehension.

"Of course, there's room for more, but that has yet to be determined."

"What about Artemis?" Percy asked skeptically. "If she finds out, it's _all_ of our heads on a spit."

"She doesn't have to know," Apollo said trying not to chuckle. "You in or out?"

The boys eyed each other expectantly, hoping someone would say "no." But unfortunately, no one wanted to speak up in fear of being disintegrated by the young, temperamental God. Percy looked at his friends, and smiled warmly. The boys smiled back, seeing the opportunity and sheer _fun_ of the idea. The Son of Poseidon looked up at the immortal and nodded, earning a grin from him.

"No costumes. No bows. No tiaras. Just business. Welcome to the Agents of Apollo."

"Cheesy name bro. Aren't you afraid of copyright infringement?" Nico joked.

"How 'bout you shut the hell up and get on board? Now let's go, I don't want my sister to know about this."

And with a final flash of light, the boys and the God were gone.

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><p><em><strong>AN: OK, I know that it seems like a take off of many other authors' ideas, but I promise that my take on it is a little bit different. Reviews, Reviews, Reviews, people. And for a change, feel free to tell me what you all would like to happen. Maybe even an OC, or a few, I don't mind. Just let me know, PM me, or whatever. I really wanna make this one unique! **_

– _**Chris**_


	2. Hunted

**Hunted**

The air had warmed since the night before. Percy was thrashing and tossing and turning in his bed. Most likely the boy was having a nightmare...a vision of the future. And from what others could tell, it was not a very enjoyable vision. Of course, it wasn't unlikely that Perseus hoped silently that he would dream of strawberries or unicorns so he could sleep in peace…but such was not part of the life of a demigod.

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><p>"<em>You would do something this stupid," the slender, utterly <em>beautiful_ woman told the man standing beside her. "Not only are you endangering a man I favor, but also his friends and my companions as well."_

"_So you favor him now, huh?" the man smirked, his long hair flowing, almost breathing with the words he spoke. _

"_Silence!" the woman retorted, through gritted teeth. "Not even _remotely_ close to what I meant! Nothing like that imbecilic _Aphrodite_, who treats him like a boy toy."_

"_Watch it," the man said through a grin. "She used to treat me that way too."_

"_As well she shouldn't!" the woman half-yelled, half-whispered. "You are still my brother! I care for your well-being. Let us not forget a few years back…you broke the rules to come and find your 'beloved' sister."_

_The two walked side by side down the pathways of a darkened hallway, which still seemed to glow a dim gold as it had in the daytime. Mostly rustling and snoring were heard through the walls, but the siblings made it a point to keep quiet enough._

"_Perseus knows what he is doing," the man smirked once again. "I wouldn't have asked him if he didn't. Besides, as your business with your 'companions' is not mine, my business with my boys is none of _your _concern."_

_With that, the man stalked out, leaving the woman pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. Percy's line of vision was fading and the two figures slowly moving away from each other became more and more blurry._

_The only thing Percy saw before waking up was a lone sword on the floor, which was covered in the remains of a tattered sports jacket that shone golden, almost matching the walls beside it._

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><p>Percy woke with a start, sweating as he did so. He needed release. The only way he could think of getting his mind off of things: visiting an old friend. There was only one problem:<p>

He did not like his sisters.

Crawling out of bed, Percy sported a simple plaid pattern on his pajama pants, and chose not to wear a shirt. Rushing to Cabin 10, he climbed through the window almost identically as he had done for Timothy.

"Wake up!" Percy screamed, waking up the entire cabin. It was past three In the morning, but that didn't seem to stop the daughters of Aphrodite from screaming at the top of their lungs. Silly of Perseus to think going into _that_ particular cabin without a shirt on would be a safe idea.

"Percy! What are you doing here?"

"Looking good, boy!"

"Mmm…yummy!"

The comments echoed in Percy's ears, and he was about ready to tear them off. Mitchell shrugged and got up, and Percy tried not to laugh: black and white plaid pajama pants, and a light pink t-shirt.

"Really bro?"

"Dude, if there's one thing I know, its how to look sexy."

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><p>Percy and Mitchell walked outside the cabin to the lake, discussing current events and what Apollo meant by his "Agents."<p>

"So what is this?" Mitchell asked. "A way to get back at his sister or something?"

"No," Percy replied. "I actually think he's seriously in need of help this time."

Continuing to walk, the young men strolled through the woods. It was cold, just like the night before. Their conversation, however, was cut off by rustling in the distance. Mitchell slowed down to try and get a glimpse of what was following them. Unfortunately, nothing could be found. All they heard was rustling.

"W-what's that?" Mitchell asked, frightened. "Did you hear that?"

Percy nodded and eased over to the backside of a tree, with Mitchell close behind. "No…do you see anything?"

"No…I can't see a damn thing. This place is so freaking scary."

The two boys were sniffing and searching for evidence of a visitor. Before either of them could find it, however, an unknown beast rushed past them in a loud, thrashing, violent trot across the grassy woodlands.

The vibrations caused the two to stumble and topple over. What they had seen was a _massive_ boar-like creature, never-before seen in their lives. Percy was a bit calmer than the "peace-and-love" son of Aphrodite, who was a bit too frightened to get up from the dirt surface.

"Holy—" Percy began, only to be cut short by the appearance of a smirking God of the Sun.

"Tsk, tsk," Apollo scolded, "watch the language there, Jackson."

Percy helped Mitchell up and the two shook Apollo's hands. He had two metal bracelet-type devices in his hands.

"What are those, my Lord?" Mitchell said, spotting the technology.

"Devices of my own creation. They will serve as the weaponry of my Agents."

"What exactly do these 'devices' do?"

"These gauntlets, as titled, will clasp onto your left, or right, forearms. When activated by this switch, a white holographic crossbow-shape will appear across the front. You can then shoot arrows made of pure sun-energy. In other words, the Hunters and their stupid _classic_ bows can suck it."

"Pure energy arrows? That sounds fatal, sir."

"Don't worry, Mitch. We have no intention of hurting the _feminists_. There's an 'intensity' setting on the side. That means either it's a simple knock back or 1-milliampere lady-killer. It is entirely your own personal decision."

Percy was handed a silver and blue tinted gauntlet, while Mitch's was tinted pink. Jason's was tinted with a bright white (to stand out from the silver) and Nico's, of course, was tinted black. The two boys placed their gauntlets on their right forearms. Immediately, the devices shrunk to the size of semi-thick bracelets, or bands, so no one would recognize them as weapons. They had never felt more in touch with their inner geek before.

Lastly, Apollo gave himself one that was tinted a traditional gold, to signify his superiority. With a smile on his face, Apollo teleported them to Zeus cabin, and teleported Nico and Timothy there as well. With Apollo explaining the devices to them just as before, the five boys were giddy as they tinkered with their new, undeniably _bad-ass_ weapons.

"Now remember, guys," Apollo reluctantly said in his _authoritative_ voice, "these things are _tools_, not toys. They are capable of great destruction and murder. Hephaestus crafted them with the most excellence, grace, and sleek-ness possible. But don't worry. They're virtually indestructible."

"So what exactly are we doing?" Percy asked skeptically. "I mean, if the Hunters do what they do…_hunt_ things, then why do we need to get involved."

Apollo shrugged. "I take it you didn't hear the prophecy."

All five boys shook their heads.

"Very well," Apollo said, taking a deep breath. He said the prophecy with almost no emotion:

_A beast so powerful with weaknesses none,_

_Can only be bested by the moon and the sun._

_Existing in the folds of Olympus itself,_

_Bringing about the Giants themselves._

_One shall stand, one shall fall,_

_And those who hate must answer the call._

Percy thought and then cleared his throat. "So there's an unknown beast in Olympus, but it can only be stopped if you and you sister work together. And 'those who hate' must mean us and the Hunters, right?"

"You catch on quick," Apollo said through a smile. "Our only problem is that the Hunters hate men."

"So what do you suggest we do?" Nico spoke up.

Apollo looked out of the Cabin window with a grim look, as if he knew that the end was coming. Unfortunately, being the God of the Sun meant being bright and happy…a thought that immediately morphed his expression into that of an innocent child in Toys R' Us.

"Nothing yet. We recruit. But for now, we protect are own. From now on, boys…we are the Hunted."

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><p><em><strong>AN: Bear with me on where I'm going with this, ladies and gentlemen. I set it after the Son of Neptune so I'm not really limited by continuity. Expect MAJOR plot twists and a little humor with the Hunters and the main boys. And finally…R&R. Because it makes me feel special.**_

– _**Chris**_


	3. Misunderstood

**Misunderstood**

_2 Months Later_

Five men rushed through the woods, glowing white and gold and blue and pink as they ran…really, it depended on the man being described.

Percy Jackson, Son of Poseidon. The lieutenant of the group, he was a master at both defense and offense. To give the man any sword, knife, or general _blade_ was practically begging for death. Swift in his movement, watching the handsome hero was like watching a lights show, as the streaks of blue light emanated from him as he sprinted. He was like a comet on earth, flying faster than all around him and destroying anything in his path.

Jason Grace, Son of Jupiter. A Roman demigod and Percy's right-hand man, he was a bit more rough and heavy in his movement. He relied on strength and power as his weapons. Sending the man into the sky was the worst decision any mortal or immortal could make. The sky _was_ his power. He wind, the rain, the storms…it all worked for _him_, just as the waves and water worked for Percy. His light show was a silver one…glowing a bright cosmic illumination as he raced to catch up with Percy.

Nico Di Angelo, Son of Hades. Third in command. A stealthy man, Nico's power was the ground itself. The _dead_. Depressing? Maybe, but in no way dismissible. It was more than growing zombies…sensing death, preventing death, causing death…all this and more. When he shadow-traveled, it may have not been fast enough to catch up with the livewire, Percy, but it still put him ahead of the other Agents. A black-tinted following wasn't too bad to look at either.

Mitchell Confíance **(A/N: Again, no last name, so I made that up. It means "trusted" in French, since he is one of the few Aphrodite kids Percy **_**trusts**_**…get it? Ge—nevermind)**. Son of Aphrodite. Just a pretty face? That was laughable. Mitchell was fierce in what he did…charming, yes, of _course_ he could flirt his way past any female adversary. But offensively? He molded love into his weapon. In that he _loved_ to kick ass. And making fun of the pink tint he left behind would be a mistake. Because as mentioned above. He _loved _what he did. Passionately.

Finally, Timothy Rúnda, Son of Hectate. He may have been new, but all of his abilities made up for it. More than just a stage magician, Timothy could do things with his hands that most people could never even dream of. Levitate objects, see through walls, blast others with magical balls of fire, disarm others, paralyze them, and control them…name it and magic could do it. This is what made him perfect for the team. It only made sense that anyone who saw his flashes of purple afterburner were instantly infused with great admiration. Bottom line: magic wins the game.

* * *

><p>"<strong>EXTRA EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! THE AGENTS OF APOLLO ARE COMING TODAY!"<strong>

This is what ran through Camp Half-Blood all day. Chiron and Lupa had agreed, ever since the banding of the Seven Chosen, that Camp would have a "Connections Day" every month. The Romans were at the Greek Camp this time, and they seemed to be getting along quite nicely with each other. That is, until news of the Agents' arrival spread around.

They obviously weren't the Hunters. They were softer. Not in terms of battle…when it came to that aspect of their job, they became malicious and unmerciful. But in all honesty, the boys on Apollo's team were much nicer, not as competitive, more accepting of others, regardless of _gender_. They held no one in disdain. It was the Hunters they were worried about. Did they even _know_ about the Agents yet?

They didn't have time to ponder. As soon as they did, a large, golden chariot flew downwards to the center of camp, earning cheers and greetings from the campers below. When it landed, the boys piled out. They were dressed in all white, almost armor-plated suits, and though it was similar to the Hunters, their "glow" was distinctively brighter. The only thing setting them apart was the barely noticeable auras they gave off, according to their assigned colors: blue, silver, black, pink, and purple. They looked _almost_ like Gods. Like five _very _handsome, powerful, smiling Gods.

"Percy!" Annabeth Chase yelled, running up to him. She could not, however, embrace her boyfriend. His blue aura was deadly hot. To hug him would land her in the infirmary. Luckily, she had learned this not too long ago.

"Annabeth," he said in a warm voice. "I missed you."

He turned off his glow until his white suit cooled off, and then he picked her up in a hug. They were only interrupted by Apollo clearing his throat as he hopped off of his chariot.

"Now, now, Percy," he said in a scolding, yet joking manner, "what did I say earlier? We have to keep up the _image_. We are _single Caucasian males who save people in need_. That means you need to keep the girlfriend thing under wraps."

Percy nodded and set Annabeth down, who was blushing furiously. Before Apollo could say hello, however, silver gleams shone around the corner. Humming was heard, and unanimous footsteps were heard in a symphony of military marching. _The Hunters of Artemis_.

When they entered camp, they looked the same as before: pissed off. Thalia was the only warm-looking face in the bunch. Waving to Percy was as far as she had gotten before Artemis blocked his view of her and stared at him coldly, with piercing eyes. She trudged up to her brother, and faked her smile as she gritted: "Hello Apollo. It is…_great _to see you."

"But not so great to see _them_," a Hunter, Hannah, said with disgust. Percy's smile faded to a look of pity. Shaking his head, he bowed to Lady Artemis."

"Artemis," he said respectfully, "as always, welcome to Camp Half-Blood. Your Hunters, as usual, are welcome to stay in your cabin for as long as needed."

"Thank you Perseus," she said carefully, unnerved by the unfazed smile across the Son of Poseidon's face. "I appreciate your kindness, but you don't have to show my _Hunters_ any more respect than they show you. After all, that is only _fair_."

"With all due respect," Nico spoke up, "forgiveness is our best quality. No hard feelings, huh?" Nico attempted to shake hands with Hannah, who retaliated by grabbing his wrist and kicking him in the groin.

Percy's smile turned into an angered frown, and he burst in a flash of blue light, gripping Hannah by her wrist just as she had done to Nico. The brightness of his aura blinded the Hunters, including Hannah, who was genuinely frightened.

"LISTEN HERE, _HUNTER_," he growled in a commanding voice that forced her to look up. "I HAVE OFFERED YOU AND YOUR COMPANIONS HOSPITALITY HERE UNDER THE _CONDITION_ THAT YOU RESPECT _MY_ TEAM AND MYSELF. THIS IS STILL _OUR _CAMP WHICH YOU ARE _VISITING_. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

She said nothing, looking away and closing her eyes tighter.

"I won't harm you," he said in a calmer voice. "But I demand your respect. I could KILL you if I wanted. But I won't."

Letting Hannah go, she scurried behind Artemis who was too shocked to yell at Percy for touching her precious Hunter. Percy sighed and his glow faded.

"My apologies, Artemis," Percy gritted reluctantly. "I didn't want to hurt her. But I won't allow them to stay here and let them disrespect my friends or me like that. We're better men than they care to realize."

Apollo put his arm in front of Artemis and Percy, staring at his sister angrily. "For your information, my Agents are of the highest respected men in this Camp and abroad. They deserve nothing _else_ but respect. When you and your _bitches _of Hunters find that out, come to us and apologize. Until then, stay the _hell_ out of our way. This is _our_ camp."

With that, the Agents followed Apollo to greet their friends. Thalia walked up to Artemis with a look of caution on her face.

"My lady…perhaps you could reconsider evoking their wrath? They seem to be alright. Percy is a good man, and so is my brother, even _Nico_ of all people—"

"No. They _are_ right. And any of you who is caught disrespecting those _men_ in _their_ camp territory will be dealt with by me. Understood?"

The Hunters nodded and followed Artemis in the same direction.

* * *

><p>Lunch was not too bad, except for the obvious look of separation. The Agents sat on one side with a bunch of people and the Hunters sat on the other. Nothing was out of the ordinary, until a Hunter chose to get up from her seat and walk up to the trash can. She had long, wavy brown hair and hazel eyes.<p>

_BAM! _She slammed into Percy with great force, but it was only her that fell back to the ground. A smirking Percy rolled his eyes and stuck his hand out for her in a gentleman-like fashion. Remembering what Artemis said earlier, she reluctantly accepted his help.

"You okay…Chelsea, is it?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. T-thank you, boy—I mean, _Percy_."

Percy chuckled. "First off, if Artemis doesn't hate me, I would much rather enjoy _you_ not hating me."

"Sorry. It's part of the job description. I barely trust that your kindness in genuine. It's not expected of…well, _men_."

"Well, some of us _men_ are not half-bad. I'd like to think I fall into that category."

"You wish. As if I'd trust _anything _you say. For all I know, Mr. I-Saved-Olympus could be planning to get into my pants right now."

"I can assure you, I think I'm aware of the meaning of the term 'maiden.' I have no intention of getting into your pants. But we _could _be friends."

"Nice try, Jackson. I learned my lesson with my ex-boyfriend."

Percy sighed and sat down in front of her, motioning her to take a seat. He rested his head in his right palm and looked at her intently. She didn't know what to say really. He actually looked _interested_ in how she felt, and not what she _felt like_.

"Tell me what happened."

She sat down, almost regrettably, and thought. "Well, I was dating this guy for almost two years. He was great at first. Hell, I don't even know if I actually _liked_ the guy. But he was the captain of the basketball team, and I was head cheerleader. People said it almost made sense that we should date. So we did."

"So you didn't really like the guy, huh?"

"Not really. It got worse as time went on. He became even _more_ of a jerk, and it seemed like he was flirting with other girls. So I asked him about it."

"Which you eventually regretted."

"Yeah. Because I found out he _slept_ with my best friend from an outside source. And I thought he was the one ya know…I was about to…have my first time with him."

"He seems like a real jerk, who doesn't know what he's missing. You don't have to hate men to be a Hunter, Chelsea. He didn't deserve you, he _never _deserved you. Keep your head up, right?"

Chelsea simply nodded. Did she forget to mention how she noticed that Percy never _once_ stared down at her chest, or asked her to repeat anything? It wasn't long before she noticed he other friends form the Hunter's sneaking up on him with a giant tub of liquid, with evil looks on their faces. OF course she said nothing.

_SPLASH! _The liquid slid down Percy's hair like a waterfall. The whole container was filled with _caramel_. Percy's white suit was now stained and ruined. The whole dining pavilion laughing at him and calling him a "loser" didn't help either. Neither did the Hunters pointing and calling him even _worse_ names. Maintaining his anger was no longer an option. He spun around and activated his wrist-band weapon, which shot out into a holographic bow shape. Faster than the girls could react, he shot a low intensity energy arrow straight at the tub, disintegrating it.

"Bad decision. I've had it with you girls. Today, Capture the Flag. NO campers. Just you girls versus my four boys."

Sarah, one of the Hunters behind the tub, laughed aloud. "You can't beat us! You never have! You five can't take on 20 plus Hunters!"

"Try me."

Nico walked over to Percy, who was left by the Hunters not too long ago. He brought two towels, and twisted his mouth, unsure of what to say.

"Sorry man," he said. "Those Hunters are the worst."

"No they aren't," Percy corrected, eyeing his now retracted wrist-band. In spite of everything, Percy was a man of forgiveness. One way or another, he'd _make _the Hunters respect them. _They aren't evil_, he thought to himself, watching them walk off, laughing amongst themselves.

"They're just misunderstood."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Yes. You heard right. Capture the Flag game next. Which will be undeniably badass. Read. And. Review. I separated that into three words to express their importance, by the way. Apart from that, I hope everyone who has read this enjoys it so far.**_

– _**Chris **_


	4. Never In a Decade

**Never In a Decade**

Percy sat in his cabin, his head resting on Annabeth's lap as she stroked his hair. She sighed loudly, but Percy simply ignored her dilemma. Staring at the ceiling, he contemplated whether or not he could survive the game of Capture the Flag.

"I can help you," Annabeth offered, stroking his hair a little bit more sensually. "Either you could let me be on your team…or I could just give you extra motivation before you go."

Percy looked up into her eyes and smirked. "You heard Apollo. No Public Displays of Affection."

"This isn't public. It's just you and me alone. Free time."

"I know you can't _resist_ the temptation to kiss me, but I would prefer to follow my orders."

"I was thinking about a little more than just kiss."

She rubbed his scalp softly, allowing him to take in those words as whatever meaning he chose. Screw the rules after all, since they were above the age of consent. But Percy had morals…guidelines that he followed. Marriage, _then_ consummation, right?

"Nice try. But you can't be on my team _or_ get ass tonight, Wise Girl."

She chuckled at his expression. _Get ass_. It wouldn't have been her first choice of words. But in time, she'd get what she wanted. If doing it "the right way" was what he wanted from her, then she'd oblige. _Mrs. Annabeth Jackson_. It had a lovely ring to it. A clever pun, actually, as it _would_ have a lovely ring to it, seeing as how her boyfriend wasn't one to be cheap.

"You know you can't win though. No one's ever beaten the Hunters."

"We're not just anyone."

"_Agents of Apollo_ or not, you can't beat them. They are the best at what they do: hunting. And that happens to be a huge part of Capture the Flag."

"We'll take our chances."

"OK, then what's your plan Mr. Lieutenant?"

"Don't have one, don't need one."

"You always need a plan."

"Yeah, maybe _you_ do. Hell, Athena kids need a plan to brush their teeth in the morning."

"Excuse me?"

"Not everything requires a plan. Not everything is about intelligence. That's all I'm saying."

"Without common sense, we wouldn't even be alive right now."

"Oh, so now I lack common sense? I ever tell you what Reyna said when I was at Camp Jupiter? She said I was _smarter _than I looked. Tell that to Seaweed Brain, whoever that is."

She pursed her lips, trying to keep calm. Percy was _really_ starting to get on her nerves, with his cockiness and irritability.

"Percy, I'm not saying you lack common sense. I'm not saying you're not smart."

"Then what does Seaweed Brain mean, really?"

"It's our nickname! It's cute! You think I like 'Wise Girl'? Not really, but it's _cute_. You know…the thing we are?"

He laughed at that. "We're cute now. You never fail to surprise me."

"What the hell is your problem today? I'm trying to be a good girlfriend."

"You think I should keep calm? The Hunters are allowed to walk in here and be total jerks and no one says _shit_."

"What does that have to do with _us_?"

"I DON'T WANT TO DEPEND ON ANYONE. I can beat them myself. Just me and the boys. It's time they respected me after all the crap I put up with for them."

Annabeth receded, turning her head downwards. "You never depended on me, Percy. We're a team."

"I appreciate the motivation, but I _don't _need your help."

Angrily, she threw his head off of her lap and stood up, marching towards the exit of Cabin 3. She turned her head slightly back, though still averting eye-contact. When she spoke, her words were filled with poison.

"Take your cue from Ares. Everyone needs help sometimes Percy. Even you."

* * *

><p>Percy met with his team, the Agents, in front of Chiron and the campers in the center of camp. Chiron was ready to announce today's changed schedule.<p>

"Attention campers!" Chiron bellowed. "There has been a change of plans this Friday!"

The campers shifted and started murmuring about Percy's challenge for the Hunters. Chiron yelled again, silencing the whispers.

"As you may know," he began, "Percy Jackson, who of course has returned to us after his long tenure as Apollo's Lieutenant, has challenged Artemis and her Hunters to a game of Capture the Flag. No campers will play, but all are permitted to watch as an _audience_. All magical items and weapons are allowed in this game. So long as no one kills each other. Are we ready to begin?"

The campers nodded, and they all seemed to eye Percy and the Hunters back and forth, afraid of what might happen.

"Then, by my command, let the games begin!"

* * *

><p>Percy led the Agents through their side of the forest. Timothy popped up, tugging and poking at Percy's shoulder in a desperate attempt to get his attention.<p>

"Um, Percy?"

"Yes, Tim?"

"There are five of us and twenty of them. You sure about this?"

"Yeah. Each of us takes four. I got Thalia, Phoebe, Hannah, and Chelsea. Tim, you can have Sarah, Melanie, Jessica, and Natasha. Nico will take on Jennifer, Amanda, Emma, and Alana. Mitchell has Miranda, Nadia, Georgia, and Morgan. Jason, whoever gets to our side, hold them off. You'll protect the flag, and Apollo, our captain. Got it?"

The four boys nodded, and separated reluctantly.

Percy walked through the woodlands cautiously, hearing footsteps all around him. Tinkering with his wrist-band, he tried to activate his bow. What activated was something entirely different.

A screen on the top flashed, and soon, floating in front of Percy, was an interactive, holographic map of the area, showing signs of movement all around him. The white circles were he and the Agents, and the red circles were the Hunters.

"That's new…" he said in a state of amazement.

Scanning, he touched the red circle closest to him with his finger, and it changed into a profile, that looked like a driver's license. _Thalia Grace's _driver's license.

_THALIA GRACE. DAUGHTER OF ZEUS. LIEUTENANT OF ARTEMIS. AGED 15. SUBJECT IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS: CAN GENERATE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF ELECTRICITY WITH HER HANDS. HANDLE WITH CAUTION. RECOMMENDED WEAPON: ENERGY BLADE._

_I don't have an energy blade_, Percy thought confusedly. As soon as he thought that, however, the map glitched and disappeared, and the edge of the gauntlet shot out a solid, transparent, white blade of energy measuring in at two-and-a-half feet long.

Before he could collapse in shock, Thalia appeared out of nowhere, shooting an arrow directly at Percy's chest. "_KIYAA!_" She yelled, leaping form behind the bush and firing two more. Each arrow was deflected by Percy's blade with ease.

"Thalia! I don't want to hurt you!"

Ignoring his warning, Thalia swung her bow over her shoulder and took out her two hunting knives. Long in nature, they were perfect opponents for Percy's energy blade.

_CLANG! CLANG! _The blades whined as they struck each other again and again. Percy moved with an unmatched grace, rivaling Thalia's natural instincts in battle. Thalia seemed genuinely murderous and looked as though she wanted to rip Percy's head off and feed it to wolves, or maybe place it on a pedestal and hang it up on her wall as a token of victory.

Percy did not hesitate, however, and easily disarmed Thalia, sending her to her knees in front of him, with the energy blade at her chin.

"Aren't you supposed to take me to jail, Kelp Head?"

"No," Percy managed to say without smiling. "You can go. But don't forget that I am always keeping an eye out for you."

"Don't worry," she smirked. "I won't. Promise yourself you won't leave any signs for me to track."

"Oh, you won't have to worry about that. Now get out of my sight."

Thalia dragged to her feet and pushed past Percy, running towards his side. He didn't mind though. He trusted Jason.

But did the others fare as well?

* * *

><p>Timothy hid behind a rock, hearing the marching of two or three Hunters. Activating his bow, he made no mistake to jump out and battle cry as he shot multiple arrows in frenzy, easily incapacitating one of them. The other two, however, eyed him ferociously.<p>

"AHHHHH!" they cried as they lunged at him. Timothy averted the impact rather easily, and barrel-rolled to the side. Luckily, Nico Di Angelo swooped down in the nick of time.

Flipping through the air, Nico pin-pointed to low-intensity arrows at each Hunter from high above, knocking them both unconscious. Landing in between them, he crossed his arms and cocked his body upright proudly. Tim got up and dusted himself off.

"I could've handled that, for your information."

Nico chuckled. "Didn't want to take the chance. Come on, I have a plan to win this thing once and for all."

* * *

><p>Artemis sat in her tent, eyeing the battle though a holographic map, much like Percy had previously done. It wasn't long before her peace was interrupted by a panting, undoubtedly exhausted Hunter.<p>

"What is it Phoebe?" Artemis asked, standing up, clenching her bow.

She struggled to catch her breath. "We've lost half our team. At this rate, we're losing two every 10 minutes."

"Impossible!" Artemis shouted. "These are just mere boys, Phoebe! How can five average males best twenty Hunters in a matter of minutes?"

"I don't know, Artemis. But the only ones left are Thalia, Miranda, Sarah and I. And not one of the boys is even _tired_."

Stepping out of her tent, Artemis angrily cursed in Ancient Greek. Phoebe rushed outside and face-palmed when she saw what had happened.

_The flag was gone._

* * *

><p>Thalia, Miranda and Sarah were almost to the end of the forest, and no flag was in sight. Then, Miranda grabbed Thalia and Sarah's shoulders and pulled them down behind a bush.<p>

"What was that for?" Thalia half-yelled, half-whispered, trying to keep her voice down.

Miranda covered Thalia's mouth with her palm. "Sshhhh! Look!"

Thalia and Sarah peeked from outside of the bush, and spotted _exactly_ what they were looking for. Percy Jackson was sitting by the lake, cleansing his face. Thalia smiled at her Hunters mischievously, and carefully got up from her crouched state. Her Hunters followed, setting an arrow in each of their bows and ready to aim and fire. Thalia took her knife out, and placed it around Percy's neck, not bothering to turn him around.

"I warned you about leaving signs for me to track, Kelp Head. Game over."

Percy chuckled, but something was wrong. Suddenly, his hair turned lighter, into a brighter shade...dark brown, was it? His height also reduced…he shrunk from 6'1 to 5'8. Thalia's confidence crumbled, afraid to turn the boy in her arms around. In other words, Timothy Rúnda was a good magician.

"The thing about Percy Jackson is," Tim chuckled, "he never leaves any tracks in the snow."

Suddenly, Nico and Mitchell showed up and apprehended Sarah and Miranda with ease. Finally, the man himself appeared.

Percy Jackson was carrying the Hunter's flag in his right hand, and strolled towards his base. Jason appeared from out of Apollo's tent with two cans of Coke and a smile on his face.

"Nice work, Jackson," Jason mused, cracking open the sodas and handing Percy one. The Son of Poseidon drank his coke confidently, relishing its cool taste down his throat. Finally, with a wink towards Thalia, he threw the flag into the ground in front of his base, to an eruption of cheers from the campers, who appeared almost simultaneously.

"TEN YEARS!" Dionysus laughed. "Never in a decade! Never in a _decade_ have the Hunters been bested at Capture the Flag! Let's hear it for the Agents of Apollo!"

The camp's cheers almost caused Mitchell and Nico to go deaf. Apollo stepped out and waved, even though he did practically nothing.

_Never in a decade_, Percy thought, laughing to himself. But after all, when you're Percy Jackson, setting new records is what you do everyday. As he marched triumphantly back to camp with the campers in tow, the thought replayed through his head over and over, like a broken record.

_Never in a decade_.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Yeah. It was a pretty good trick that Timothy pulled wasn't it? Gotta love magic. Read and review people! Thank you to all who **_**have **_**reviewed, but seriously? 4 reviews is a little low for me. I ain't exactly feeling very special. Care to change that? Thanks. And FYI, I'll let you all know when I might need some OCs.**_

– _**Chris**_


	5. A Visit From Above

**A Visit From Above**

_A/N: By the way, I'm not a big Perodite shipper, but I just use it because it's different than Percabeth and Pertemis. One of which is nearly impossible._

* * *

><p>Percy returned to his cabin in exhaustion. Slipping out of his white suit, he jumped into the shower. The problem with being Percy Jackson was having the feeling that you were being watched.<p>

As the water rushed down his skin, Percy suddenly felt rejuvenated. The feeling of tiredness was no longer prevalent. The only problem was, as he stepped out of the shower, Percy saw someone else's figure in the "living room" area of his cabin. Sitting on his bed in a relaxed position, Percy couldn't help but notice that the strange visitor's body was _flawless_. Her curves were that of an hourglass. Her blonde curly hair fell perfectly down from her head, and her hands were graceful and slender. Even the arches of her feet seemed like they were they way feet should have looked.

Percy had a hunch as to who was laying in his bed, waiting for him. He had just hoped he was wrong. He never would have thought why she'd come looking for him, and certainly not in a _revealing_ silk dress, such as the one she had worn just for him. He had a girlfriend, after all. It was complicated, and Annabeth would need time to forgive him for his attitude, but it wasn't enough to let lust or admiration for the woman in his bed allow him to otherwise cheat on the woman he actually loved. But no such luck was given, as the woman started to sing a song angelically. Percy's hunch was unfortunately correct. She was in fact his worst nightmare.

_Aphrodite_.

Now, most guys would be ecstatic. Or at least whatever was in their pants would be. But Percy seemed to fear for his _life_. Checking her makeup? Flattening her dress so it would hug the curves along her waist? Fixing her hair until it looked just like Annabeth's? Percy's only concern was whether she was doing it for fun…or for him.

Now another thought raced through his mind. He wanted to put on his pants or at least his underwear…but he hadn't brought it in the bathroom with him while he went to shower. Unfortunately, his only option was to walk out in nothing but a towel. Was he embarrassed? No. At least he could thank the Gods for being so well-built, so muscular, or so "yummy," as a daughter of Aphrodite had said about him months ago. But was it safe to do such a thing in front of the Goddess of Love and Beauty?

Percy walked out, trying to ignore her as he walked over to his dresser and pulled out a pair of boxer shorts.

"Percy, it's rather rude not to say hello," Aphrodite cooed as she lay back on Percy's sheets, as if to invite him over to lay with her. Or hopefully for Percy, _just_ lay and nothing more.

"Aphrodite, what are you doing in my cabin at this hour?" Percy asked, trying not to sound as terrified. "I have to go to the campfire in a few minutes. I just needed to freshen up."

Percy slipped on pajama pants and attempted to put on his shirt, but it flew out of his hands and into Aphrodite's, who smiled flirtatiously at him.

"I much rather prefer you without this as a part of the equation."

"Not funny, give it back," Percy said coolly, trying not to sound as annoyed as he was in fear of being vaporized. "What do you want from me, anyway?"

"I just wanna talk. About Annabeth."

"What about her? She's fine. You can go now."

"Ah, but she's not. It seems she's rather angry with you."

"I didn't want her to help me in Capture the Flag. So she's pissed. Wow."

"Not just that," Aphrodite corrected, sitting up slightly, circling her index finger around the designs on Percy's comforter. "She feels like you're trying to push her away. You've always needed her Percy, but now it seems you don't. She doesn't like not being needed very much."

"Tell her to get over it. I'm not that happy with her either."

Aphrodite stood up and floated over to Percy, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. "Would you be happier with say…someone else?" she suggested, causing Percy to look off and sigh.

"Nice try, but I'm really not in the mood. Last time this happened, your boyfriend killed me. I came back, but he _killed_ me **(A/N: Yes. Referencing "The Art of War", Chapter Twelve)**."

"Yes, but now he isn't here," she said through a smile, running her fingers along his bare chest. "And you're immortal as long as you remain loyal to Apollo. And obviously you aren't in love. Yet."

"I am in love. Apollo made an exception, remember?" Percy said. The final syllable in "remember" was cut short by a gasp as Aphrodite placed tiny kisses along Percy's neck. He almost didn't notice her pull the towel from his palm, but luckily he had put on the pants before hand. She tugged at the waist-band of his bottoms, trying to slip them off, still entrancing Percy with her love-pecks on his shoulders.

"You can forget about little Annabeth for the night, Percy," she whispered seductively into his ear. "You can forget about going to the campfire. Forget about celebrating your win against the Hunters. If a prize is what you want for defeating those men-hating shrews, then _I'll _certainly be your reward."

Percy's hormones were like a dimwitted football player. _Blue 41! Blue 42! Sex! Sex! Sex!_ Ignoring them was rather hard for him.

"Aph," Percy managed through his gasps, "you have to understand…this isn't allowed. I'm a demigod. I'm—I'm friends with your own children. You're a thousand-year-old Goddess. I can't—"

"I'm older than most of the fathers of my children, Perseus," she retorted. "Besides, you're eighteen now anyway. You're perfectly legal."

Aphrodite flipped Percy around and pulled him down towards his bed. Percy then did something he didn't intend to do. He kissed her. _He kissed the Goddess of Love_. Why did he do this? Maybe he and his hormones loved football. Or maybe he was just curious. Whatever the cause, it would have seemed to anyone else that Aphrodite had Percy right where she wanted him.

_In a moment of weakness_.

Mad at his girlfriend, Percy knew subconsciously that something was wrong the moment Aphrodite stopped looking like Annabeth, and started looking like someone else. Her blonde curly hair was now long, wavy, and brown. Her gray eyes were now a deep shade of sea green, with multiple shades inside the irises. Maybe that meant he was a narcissist. He wasn't sure where his own eyes came from, but he did know that her body morphed too. Her curves grew. Which meant, somewhere beneath the valor, bravery, and loyalty, Percy was still a perverted manly-man who liked a woman's chest and behind equally the same.

Then he came to his senses. This wasn't like him. He wasn't controlled by lust. He wasn't even attracted to her _daughters_, let alone her. So why is he ready to tear her dress off? No, he couldn't. He ripped his lips away from hers, making her pout. He looked at her in shock and got off from on top of her.

"I can't believe you made me do that!" he tried not to yell at her, scurrying for his t-shirt. "What is it with you? You have a husband, you have a boyfriend, and on top of that moral lovers whose names you probably can't even remember!"

"I am who I am, Perseus. And I don't take kindly to criticism."

"You always get what you want, but you can't have me."

"We'll see about that."

With a huff, she put back on her dress, which was already halfway off. In a flash of light and a murderous glare at Percy, she vanished. The only thing making the situation more awkward was her son, who managed to walk in at the perfect time.

"You alright man?" Mitchell asked through the doorway. "People are wondering where you are. The campfire started 15 minutes ago."

"I'll be right there. I just wanted to get my pajamas on ahead of time."

Mitchell sniffed around. "Why does it smell like my mother's perfume in here?" he asked, eyeing Percy suspiciously.

"I borrowed some," Percy lied, "you know, for the ladies. Women love that nice flowery smell, right?"

Mitchell nodded and led Percy out of the cabin. He chose not to question Percy. Lucky for him, as Percy as not ready to tell Mitchell the truth about what happened either. How could he tell one of his close friends that he made out and almost _did things_ with his mom and still be OK with it? No, that's right, he just couldn't. But Percy couldn't lie to anyone either; he was better than that. So he chose to tell Mitchell the truth on the way there.

_It was just a visit from above_.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I added this in for a reason, just so you know. Aphrodite has a large role in this story, especially with "her" Percy. Read and Review people. I appreciate the growing numbers.**_

– _**Chris **_


	6. Acceptable Men

**Acceptable Men**

Percy finally got some sleep after the campfire, and luckily, any seductresses didn't visit him that night. What _did_ happen though was a bit surprising.

Waking up from his bed, Percy took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, fixed his hair, and slipped into his traditional blue-tinted, white based Agent suit. Before he could manage to step out of the door, however, he found a note stuck to the front of his door.

_**I require your assistance Perseus. Please visit me at my cabin, alone.**_

_**Artemis**_

Percy was confused, but agreed to go. Walking around camp was not as easy as it was before. He emitted an unusual radiance of heat as he strolled by the bystanders. When he arrived at Artemis' cabin, no one was in there, just as he expected.

"Sit," Artemis ordered, as Percy walked in through the doorway. "I'm glad you were mature enough to visit despite what happened with my Hunters."

"You didn't do anything wrong, and neither did they."

Artemis smiled and looked down. She tried to be stern and scold the young demigod for something that he had done against her or her companions, but found no evidence suggesting that. She sat down in front of Percy, furrowing her eyebrows and massaging her temples.

"So I'm guessing Apollo told you about the prophecy?" she asked, looking up into his eyes. She had half a mind to compliment the solid, warm green orbs, but that was something she considered unprofessional.

"Yes. No offense, but I'm not really looking forward to it."

"How so?"

"I don't play well with others. Especially your Hunters."

"Ha. You are a big man with a big sword who can splash people with water. Take that away, Perseus, what's left?"

Percy stared off and thought. "Intelligent, handsome, funny and charming young demigod who managed to surpass all other heroes in Greek history?"

Artemis looked off and tried not to chuckle. He got the funny part right, at least.

"So what are your men prepared to do?"

Percy stood up, trying to control his aura, which changed according to his mood. Wiping his face, he looked at Artemis.

"I don't know. But I won't work with you and the Hunters if you can't work with us."

"I never said we wouldn't work with you."

"I'm talking about them! What will it take to show them that we're different? That we don't discriminate?"

"I don't know. I cannot convince them, so you must do it yourself. You have already proven your worth to me. I consider you the only acceptable men left."

Before Percy could respond, the Hunters marched in the cabin, followed by the Agents teleporting in, standing in a stance behind Percy.

"We agree to work with the Hunters, my lady," Jason said, bowing.

Apollo walked in at that statement, crossing his arms and standing beside his sister.

"Well then," Apollo asked. "What are you boys and girls prepared to do?"

Thalia walked up and stood beside Percy. Slowly, the other Hunters joined her. Percy smiled and threw his arms around Jason and Thalia, smiling up at the twin Gods.

"I think," he began, "that whatever we do, we do together."

"Good," Apollo said, his grin fading. "Because we leave now."

Before any of the Hunters could protest, the two Gods created a blue, flashing orb around all the people in the room and teleported out. The next thing Percy heard was a roar. It was a familiar roar…one that he had heard before.

Then the next thing anyone _saw_ was a loud firefight. Something was attacking Olympus.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I will not tell you anything. I just can't. Part of the reason I updated TWO chapters this time. Enjoy!**_

– _**Chris**_


	7. Battle of the Sexes

**Battle of the Sexes**

Percy ducked as a large chunk of rubble flew past his head and smashed against a wall. No one could find the Gods. Thalia and the Hunters readied their bows, eager to take down whatever had set chaos upon the heavens.

"OK!" Apollo shouted over the booms of decimation. "HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO! THE HUNTERS ARE GOING TO FOLLOW ARTEMIS INTO THE OLYMPIAN ARCHIVES AND FIND OUT WHATEVER THAT THING IS! MEANWHILE, THE BOYS ARE GOING TO FOLLOW _ME_ AND DETAIN THE BEAST SO WE CAN BUY THE GIRLS SOME TIME. DOES IT SOUND LIKE A PLAN?"

Percy nodded, but Artemis interjected almost immediately after Apollo gave orders.

"NO WAY!" she argued. "_WE_ WILL FIGHT THE BEAST, AND THE _BOYS_ WILL GO INTO THE ARCHIVES!"

"ARTEMIS, THE AGENTS ARE VASTLY MORE QUALIFIED FOR SUCH OFFENSIVE ACTION, I WOULD MUCH RATHER PREFER-!"

"OK, LISTEN!" Percy interrupted, placing himself in the middle of the twin Gods. "JASON, NICO AND I ARE GOING TO DETAIN THE ANIMAL, ARTEMIS AND HER HUNTERS FOLLOW UP AND CREATE A BARRIER ON THE OTHER SIDE SO IT CAN'T ESCAPE! APOLLO, MITCHELL, AND TIM ARE GOING TO GO TO THE ARCHIVES AND EXTRACT INFORMATION! GOT IT?"

No one argued with Percy's obvious logic. The group nodded to each other and separated.

* * *

><p>Percy and Jason darted across the hallways of Olympus with Nico following close behind, almost reaching Mach 10 in speed (thank Apollo for the extra speed boosts). The roaring got more inhumane and grew louder as the boys closed in on it.<p>

Racing around a corner, it looked directly at them and snarled. It was _ugly_. Dark brown in color, its skin had numerous armored plates along his muscles and spine, and its tail sported a nice spiked end to it. When it snarled, its teeth were _massive_ and sharpened like needles. Not to mention its pink tongue…it extended at least a foot-and-a-half in length.

Seeing Percy and the other two as immediate enemies, it charged full force down the hall, almost drooling as it did so.

Before Percy and the two boys could react, a single arrow flew past their heads and shot the beast directly in its skull, making it disappear (for unknown reasons).

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Apollo, Mitchell, and Tim were inside the Archives, extracting information on the holographic computer screens. Apollo was doing most of the work since Tim was new and Mitchell could not work a computer to save his life.<p>

"So, what have you found on that thing?" Mitchell asked, obviously annoyed.

"Nothing much…schematics for…something," Apollo said, his attention wavering. "It's armor…what the hell is this thing?"

Tim studied the halls for the monster, hoping Percy, Nico and Jason had detained the beast. All the while, none of it mattered…Olympus was still crumbling. The throne room could be seen off in the distance. The Big Three's thrones were demolished, and the floor was cracked and leading to Tartarus.

Apollo continued to study the "blueprints" accordingly. It was indeed armor, for something, no one knew what. It was only titled "Project 1", and had not yet been completed. Only half of the diagram had been finished.

Apollo searched it more, determined to find some new information. All he saw was a list of demigods, and it scared him to find who was on the list:

* * *

><p><em><strong>Nico Di Angelo<strong> – Adequate specimen. Heroic, yet holds grudges. Empathy is lacking and care for others is not very strong. Selfish but willing to fight for his friends. Outcome: INVALID._

_**Jason Grace** – Moderate specimen. Heroic yet hesitant. Can be tough and dislikes others easily. Very inexperienced with his powers, and has slight anger issues. Allows emotions to get the better of him but is very loving towards those he cares for. Outcome: PENDING._

_**Perseus Jackson** – Acceptable specimen. Heroic and caring. Slight temper, but accepts others more easily. Loyal regardless of gender, class, race, or background. Very powerful and experienced with his abilities. Outcome: VALID._

* * *

><p>Apollo closed the file and turned to the boys.<p>

"We have to get off Olympus," he said, almost frightened. "I think we should talk to Chiron about something."

* * *

><p>There was a dark room in front of Percy, but the doors shone a bright white. It had a strange aura that brought him in. He forgot everything…his name, his friends (who could very well be injured), and what he was supposed to be doing now.<p>

Inside the room were tanks, filled with ichor, or at least something looking like it. There were surgical masks on the floor and doctor's trays lying around next to beds, and they all had syringes on them that were leaking drugs and substances. This, however, did not frighten young Perseus.

"I see you've found our little secret room," a voice from behind said. Percy jolted, and the doors closed. There were no more explosions heard once the exit stood sealed. Percy turned, only to find himself face to face with the one person he did _not_ want to see.

_Ares, God of War._

"What is this?" Percy asked calmly, no longer angered at Ares for past events. "It looks like someone's heart exploded in your infirmary."

Ares chuckled, circling his finger around one of the syringes near the gurney, which in turn was surrounded by blood and vaccinations.

"It's a room we plan to use for you," Ares said through a crooked, unnerving smile. Percy just stood and stared, drinking in everything he thought that statement could mean.

"_Percy!__" _Nico yelled from outside the doors. Something strange was preventing Percy from running to the exit and answering his friend. Ares waved his hand towards the gurney, and Percy felt his legs involuntarily move him towards it.

"Don't worry, Jackson," Ares said, placing his arm around a detached son of Poseidon. "This is only going to hurt a little bit."

Nico's cries of desperation could not be heard any longer. It was a sad day for the Agents…the day that Percy Jackson entered a room and never came back out.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Yes. Truth is, I cannot tell you what any of that meant. You'll just have to wait and see. Read and Review, I think only 12 is kinda pathetic compared to my other stories. Love you all for reviewing anyway!_**

**_- Chris_**


	8. The Ultimate Hero

**The Ultimate Hero**

_A/N: I. HAD. SO. MUCH. FUN. WRITING. THIS! OK, I know I shouldn't be so excited about my own work, but I can't help it. Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Percy stood erect on top of a vertical gurney, strapped down so he could not move. He felt like he had been sleeping for weeks. When he tried to move his arms, he felt the annoying metal-laced straps along his chest and torso, locking him into place.<p>

Contrary to this, he also felt…different. Almost like everything he was had been multiplied by ten, in some way. Though he was restrained, he felt like he could rip the gurney to shreds and destroy everything he saw.

He was no longer in his regular white Agents outfit. He was now wearing something heavier…bulkier, but at the same time, also fluid. It felt like it was still apart of him. When he gazed downwards, his eyes widened. He was wearing a blue armored top, fixed for his muscular body, with a glowing trident insignia across his chest. It was like watching _Iron __Man_. When the trident hummed and glowed brighter, Percy felt more power surge through him. He wore complimentary, relaxed black jeans and bright white tennis shoes, to keep his outfit still looking modern. When he gazed up, he saw Ares talking with a greased-up Hephaestus, while Zeus sat at a computer checking vitals.

_Percy had been experimented on._

"What am I doing here?" Percy croaked, his voice sounding a bit huskier than intended.

Ares' head jolted, and he smiled warmly (something he almost never did). "Ah, the hero awakens," he said while smirking. "How are you feeling, Punk?"

"What the hell am I wearing?"

"Something that has been millennia in the making," Hephaestus said while grinning. He was obviously proud of his work. "Something I have put many projects aside for…something that will change the course of our history as we know it."

"Y-you invented non-melting ice-cream?" Percy groaned.

"Thank you for that, smart-ass," Zeus said while looking up from the screen. "We're gonna let you out now."

Zeus walked over and unstrapped Percy from the gurney, but thankfully the demigod was able to land square on his feet. He felt new balance, as if anything was possible, as if he could take on all three Gods in the room and still walk out of Olympus without a scratch. However, of course, he would _not _take that chance.

"So what's this thing called?" Percy asked, straightening himself. He had a feeling he did not want to hear the answer.

"It's called the Hercules Armor," Hephaestus said, spinning around Percy and examining his masterpiece. "The latest, greatest, most efficient piece of Olympian weaponry ever crafted."

"So…can it do more than just glow?"

"Why must you mock me? Ugh. Yes. It enhances your primary attributes tenfold. Your strength, speed, stamina, durability, and even intelligence are increased beyond the normal level of a sixteen-year-old boy. It can also withstand nuclear explosions, dispense daggers from the wrist, give you a radar sense, and it is submersible. Oh, and you can fly."

"Fly? But didn't Zeus—"

"It is fair game for now, nephew."

Hephaestus continued by clearing his throat. "It only lasts for 24-hours though, lad, so remember to use it wisely."

"And after it runs past the 24 hours, what happens?" Percy asked, two busy playing with his new dispensable daggers to care about his cousin's response.

"It will liquefy and retract into your skeletal system via the pores in your skin. When you summon it back on with your mind, it will exit the same way and then harden once it is above the surface of your skin. Please keep in mind that both the retraction and the application will hurt intensely at first."

Percy studied himself for a long time. Sure, he looked like a badass, but he was a bit afraid to have so much power at his disposal.

"What about my sword?" the son of Poseidon asked worriedly. "I can still use it, right?"

Zeus stepped in with a small box fit for jewelry. If Percy did not know better, he would have thought his Uncle was giving him a gold bracelet. He opened the box slowly to reveal a shining, silver ballpoint pen.

"Your last sword, Riptide, wasn't sufficient for this project," Zeus said, handing the pen to an awe-struck Percy. "So we crafted this for you. I think you'll find it fit for your unpredictable dueling style."

The new weapon was a click-to-write pen. When Percy clicked it, the blade shot up from the top, and a second one extended from the bottom. The top blade was about three feet in length, and the shorter blade on the other end measured at one foot. Percy was almost drooling at the amount of geek-gasms he had experienced in the last few moments. Everything, including the blades and grip, glowed silver in color, reminding him of the Hunters. Instinctively, Percy twisted the grip on the pen and the blades sucked back in, leaving a simple sliver pen in his hand.

"So…what am I supposed to do with all of this?" the dumbfounded teenager asked, skeptical of all that had transpired. After all, wouldn't you be, after being kidnapped and injected with a half-liquid, half-solid destruction-bringing armor capable of enhancing every single aspect of your powers as a demigod? Yes. You would be.

"We don't want you to be an assassin or a thief again, so don't worry," Ares chuckled. "Better you…control what you do."

"You want me to just walk off with all-powerful Olympian technology?"

Hephaestus placed his hand on Percy's shoulder. "We're saying that now your destiny is your own. Here, we wrote you this."

Percy took the small piece of paper out of the God's hand and read it to himself.

_What you seek is what you will find in the land where all is hidden._

_Only a man who is pure of heart can trek a place forbidden._

"What the hell does that mean?" Percy said, slightly annoyed by the lack of information.

"New information on your armor will be revealed the more you use it," Zeus informed, switching off the lights in the room. "As for the paper…its meaning is for you to find out. We will be sending you away now, Percy Jackson. Good luck."

Before the hero could respond, the ribbing-lines in his armored top started to glow white along with the trident, and the next thing he knew, he was unconscious and falling from an impossible height.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Yes. I made it tech-based, but the armor plays a key role in the story. Slowly but surely, Percy's actions will have integrated connections to Hercules (hence the inherited title of the armor). And, just to try something different, each chapter from now on will leave Percy at a "fork in the road." I want it to be up to the reviewers to decide which choice Percy makes. Sound fun? Let's try it for a while!**_

_**- Chris **_


	9. The Gods' Little Game

**The Gods' Little Game**

* * *

><p>Percy had almost peed his pants. Of course, he imagined anyone would if they were falling at impossible speeds from the top of Olympus.<p>

"_I__ THOUGHT__ THEY__ SAID __I__ COULD__ FLY?__" _he yelled out into the empty blue sky.

_Το __μόνο__ που __έχετε __να__ κάνετε__ είναι__ να__ σκεφτείτε__._

_What?_Percy asked the voice in his head. It sounded like his mother.

_Είπα__,__ το __μόνο __που __έχετε __να __κάνετε __είναι __να__ σκεφτείτε__.__ Είσαι__ κουφός__;_

Percy did as he was told. If all he had to do was think about it, then flying should have been an easy task. When he thought, the feeling was hard to grasp. However, in a matter of seconds, Percy started falling horizontally. He opened his eyes, and the armor's ribbing glowed once more. Percy was flying at impossible speeds, which were damn near Mach 5.

After about two minutes of fast flight, Percy squinted and saw Camp Half-Blood in the distance. He then subconsciously sped up, hovering over the center of camp, in the middle of the field between the cabins.

_How __do __I__ land?_ Percy asked himself.

_λένε __"γη" __ηλίθιε__. __Συγνώμη __για __την__ αγένεια__.__ Είμαι __οξύθυμος__._

_You__ know,__ you__ talk __too__ much,_ Percy smirked. _And __you __do __not__ have __to __be__ so __rude._

_θα __το __ξεπεράσεις__._

As soon as Percy thought about landing, he dropped immediately. Too scared to think about flying again, Percy just decided to yell loudly.

"THIS ARMOR BETTER DO THAT WHOLE "WITHSTANDS NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS" THING AND SAVE MY ASS!" he exclaimed into the open air.

When Percy reached the campground, he fell _hard_. The force of the fall sent dirt in all directions, and left a crater in the grass about six feet deep. The free campers turned their heads in shock, wondering what had fallen so hard.

From out of the crowd, Connor and Travis Stoll pushed past the bystanders and ran up to the crater, looking deep down into it, then gasping. The backed up as Percy began to rise from within the ground, covered in dirt and glowing as usual.

"Hey guys…I'm back."

* * *

><p>Later, at the campfire, many campers came up to Percy, awestruck at his new look, and where he had been. But mostly his new look.<p>

"What does it do?"

"Can you lift buildings and punch through walls?"

"Can you really shoot daggers from your wrists?"

"Who gave it to you?"

"Why is it called the 'Hercules Armor'?"

"Did you help design it?"

The questions began to all pile together in Percy's ears. _It __does__ many __things. __Yes,__ I_ can _most __likely __punch __through__ walls.__ Yes, __there __are__ daggers __in__ my__ wrist.__ Ares,__ Hephaestus,__ and__ Zeus __gave __it __to __me.__ I__ do __not _know _why __it__ is__ called__ that.__ No, __I__ did__ not__ help __design __it__…__wait._

The last question confused Percy, almost as if he remembered something that blanked out on him before. He ran back to his cabin, looked through his dresser, and found a small box. It had a not on it that said "things from when I was little." He smirked at his lack of talent for titling objects.

When he opened it, he found a small picture. It was from when he was in kindergarten. It was himself, wearing a blue shirt and black pants. However, that was not all…there was also a "fork" on his shirt and he was holding a sword…

_By __the__ beard__ of__ Zeus._

Percy was currently wearing the same outfit he had worn in his kindergarten picture. And right down to the sword, too?

Suddenly, Percy lurched forward, and retched. His skin began to burn as if it was on fire, and he felt himself tingle. It was like hundreds of tiny needles stabbing him repeatedly in his arms and legs. He looked at the clock, and it read eight o'clock in the evening. Last night at eight o'clock was when Percy had awoken in the lab, which meant that twenty-four hours had finally passed.

Slowly but painfully, the armor liquefied on his skin and began to suck into the pores in his skin. As his pores stretched, Percy doubled over and fell to his knees, trying not to cry out in pain.

Finally, the armor had settled onto his skeletal structure and he was able to stand. He gazed at the tiny, crude rendition of himself and stood up tall once again.

Percy folded up the piece of paper and stormed to the Big House.

* * *

><p><em>Knock-knock<em>. Chiron trotted leisurely to the door, and opened it, staring down a rather fumed Percy Jackson.

"What is this?" he asked, holding up the crude crayon picture to his chest so Chiron and Mr. D could see the similarities. After his last sip of Coke, Mr. D. chuckled and stood.

"It seems that the Gods have stolen your idea," he said, snorting. Chiron huffed at Mr. D and he silenced, grumbling as he did so.

"My boy, it seems that the Gods have mistakenly fashioned their device _similarly_ to your picture," he said calmly. "I am sure it was all a mistake. The likeness seems unintentional."

"That doesn't explain my dreams," Percy retorted.

"What do you mean?"

"When I was little," Percy began, "I dreamt of wearing this outfit. When I was wearing it, I was super-strong and had a silver sword, as I do now. I could shoot knives from my hands too. I could fly. Explain to me, Chiron, why history seems to repeat itself."

"Because it's the same story over and over again," Mr. D stated, returning to the conversation. "You've met that Leo Valdez boy, right? He drew a ship when he was little too. Now it is a reality. Demigods have these precognitive thoughts, conjuring up these weapons and armors and ideas, just like normal children do. And then, when they are thrust into _this_ world, their dreams become reality."

"Are you saying," Percy wondered, "that I designed the most powerful Olympian weapon ever crafted…when I was six-years-old?"

"Precisely."

Percy sat down and sighed. His life just kept getting better and better. The only thing he could think of doing was talking to the Agents about it. Wait…the Agents.

"Where are Apollo and the Agents?" Percy asked, jolting up from his seat.

"They are scattered," Chiron said grimly. "You were gone for almost a month, and they lost hope when they couldn't find you. Apollo disbanded them temporarily when you went missing. Then the Hunters attacked, once they realized that the Lieutenant was gone. They found the perfect chance to attack."

"So now they're all gone?" Percy asked, concerned. "And you have no idea where they've all gone to?"

"No clue," Mr. D said nonchalantly, sipping more of his fifth Coke for the day. "But you're welcomed to go on a suicide mission and find your friends if you'd like. They all do. Every hero goes after his friends, fights the bad guy, and most likely wins, but there's actually a pretty good chance that you'll die painfully this time."

"And if I don't go?" Percy asked, wondering to himself why he even asked that question.

"Then you can stay at camp," Chiron told him. "You may continue your regular activities here and go on being Percy Jackson. The only downside is that you may never see Nico, Jason, Mitchell, or Tim ever again. And when the Hunters find out that you are back, they'll hunt you just as they have done to the others."

Percy stared at the door, eyeing the archery class, basketball court, Aphrodite Cabin, and lastly, the Camp's exit.

"I choose—"

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**** This ****is**** where**** my ****idea**** begins. ****Percy**** now**** has**** a**** fork**** in ****the**** road!**** So**** review ****people!**** Tell**** me**** what ****you**** thought ****of**** the ****chapter, ****and ****then ****tell**** me**** your ****decision.**** Should ****Percy:**_

_**A) Stay**** at**** camp**** and ****await ****the ****Hunters' ****arrival,**** leading**** to**** an ****inevitable ****fight?**_

_**B) Leave ****immediately**** and ****locate**** the**** four**** original**** Agents**** across ****the ****globe,**** uniting**** them ****together?**_

_**Just know that if Percy stays, the Hunters will attack him almost immediately and he will most likely lose. If he locates the Agents, he will have to encounter a lot more than just teenage girls with bows.**_

_**Choose wisely, my dear readers!**_

_**- Chris**_


	10. A Lonely Holiday

**A Lonely Holiday**

_A/N: So according to my small but effective poll, Option B has ruled out Option A in a close battle, 3-2. Looks like Percy is off to find his friends._

* * *

><p>"...I choose to go after the Agents." Percy decided, leaving Chiron and Mr. D to their thoughts.<p>

Annabeth Chase was sleeping rather peacefully tonight, only snoring slightly, but not loud enough for her siblings to hear. There was rustling around the cabin, but no one happened to be awake to know what it was. They were footsteps, tiptoeing around the outline of the bed-scheme, making it a point to be as swift as possible.

The figure was none other than Percy Jackson, wishing his "technical ex" a goodbye. He looked at all of her pictures with him. There were some for the beach, others at the lake at Camp, and even a Polaroid of them falling asleep cuddling. It _almost _made him tear up. Why? For what he was about to do.

With a reluctant face border lining crying, Percy slashed the pictures and ripped them from the frames as quietly as he could. He placed his hand over Annabeth's sleeping forehead and attempted something he had never done before. With his water powers now more advanced than ever, he could manipulate the liquid in her brain to affect her memory.

That is just what he did.

Without him able to see it, Annabeth's dreams warped and every sign of Percy disappeared. There was no raven-haired 12-year-old boy coming to Camp Half-Blood. No kiss on a volcano. No dancing and fighting Manticores. No Artemis or Zoë Nightshade by anyone's side.

_Gone. Vanished. Obliterated._

Any possible sign or whisper of Percy Jackson was nowhere to be found amongst all of the equations and architecture in Annabeth Chase's head.

It was better this way, Percy told himself. To not come back and have her live with his memory was not something he wished upon her. They say it was better to have loved and lost than to have never have loved at all.

For him, it was all three.

* * *

><p>Camp Half-Blood was in frenzy that following night. It was Christmas Eve and virtually every activity was replaced with free time. Every camper was giving out gifts, talking to friends, or of course making out under mistletoes.<p>

When Annabeth changed into warmer clothes, a knock on the door was heard. The voice belonged to Piper McLean.

"Annabeth, I've been waiting for 20 minutes!" she shouted. "You're taking longer than most of my sisters!"

"Come in, I'm decent!" She replied, her mind off in other areas.

Piper walked in in a simple white snow jacket and thermal yoga pants, if those even existed. Thank her mother for that. Overall, she was the cutest little Cherokee Barbie anyone had ever seen.

"Where's Percy?"

Annabeth felt a memory flicker inside her head and then short out. "Who?" she asked.

"Very funny, Chase. Where's your boyfriend?" she said smirking.

"I don't know who you're talking about," Annabeth whispered softly. At least she uttered the truth. "I don't know a Percy Jackson."

Piper strolled her way over to Annabeth's personal desk. She gasped slightly to see a handful of blank, scratched up picture frames. No pictures of Percy were anywhere to be found.

"Annabeth, don't tell me Camp Half-Blood's power couple broke up. Please don't let my sisters know he's single…"

"I'm single, Piper. I have been for years. Are you feeling OK?"

"I think the better question is whether or not you are. Stay here, I am getting Chiron. Oh, and here, since you've decided to be Ms. Forgetful, you can have this."

She pulled out a Christmas card for Percy, which was from the Aphrodite Cabin. She placed it in Annabeth's hands and walked off.

Annabeth stared at the card's picture. The raven-haired boy was incredibly attractive, and his sea-green eyes were gorgeous. When she glanced at his goofy smile, she felt some sort of weird feeling, as if she had seen the smile before and it made her happy for some reason. Then Chiron trotted in.

"Dear girl, is everything alright with you?"

Annabeth's smile faded. "Don't let this be a lonely holiday guys. I'll be fine."

* * *

><p>Percy Jackson was sitting at a café in a snowy time square. He looked all around him, seeing all of the Christmas holiday couples. People were holding hands, shopping together, proposing, and kissing under the mistletoe. It made him feel queasy.<p>

Without really realizing it, time began to distort around him. A man in a black trench coat stood erect in front of him, allowing himself to be noticed above all other people in the area.

"Perseus Jackson," his deep, commanding voice said. "You seek your friends on a broken heart? It is Christmas, child."

"Who the hell are you?" Percy asked, only mere seconds away from releasing the daggers from his wrist.

"Who I am is not important," he mused, "but what we can accomplish together…is."

"I won't listen if I don't know who you are. I can't smell you. You're not a Titan or a God, and you can't be a monster or demigod. What…_are_ you?"

"Dear boy…I am the father."

"The…God father?"

"Hmm. Rumors of your sense of humor have traveled far and wide, Perseus. Though I see now that in person those stories rarely do you justice."

"I won't ask again," Percy gritted, clutching one free dagger in his right hand. "Who. Are. You."

"Chaos, Creator of the Universe." **(A/N: I'm sorry, my ideas were on short and despite its popularity it still sounds cool! Admit it.)**

"You still exist?" Percy asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes, of course. I have yet to be killed. It is not as if YOU could do it."

"So whose side are you on then, Mr. Chaos?"

The Creator smirked. He studied the demigod intently. His attitude, awareness, charisma and power made him the perfect choice.

"I am on _my _side, Perseus. I do not wish to harm the Gods, my descendants. I have beiger matters to attend to. Namely, the monster you and the Hunters killed months ago. You think it is dead but really, it is just resting. For as long as the Doors of Death remain open, my daughter Gaea's army will remain eternal."

"So why am I here in this situation?"

"Ammunition mostly," Chaos mused in an insulting tone. Though being who he was, he did not manage to care. "I can use you as an asset. You want eternal glory, all heroes do. I can give you that. It's not as if your friend Nico refused."

Percy flinched and Chaos watched, as his dagger grew longer. "If you hurt any of the Agents, I swear—"

"Relax, Son of Poseidon," Chaos said in a fatherly tone. It made Percy both calmer and a bit queasy. "He is fine. He has merely seen my logic. If united we stand will defeat the Goddess of the Earth, then that is what we must do. Join me, Perseus. You can save Camp. Save the Gods. Save…Annabeth."

"Don't you _dare_ bring her into this."

"Of course, my apologies, you could really have any girl you want. Word on the street is even my granddaughter Aphrodite is picking her moment to strike."

"Don't remind me. I happen to have her _son_ under my belt."

"And soon I will as well. Apollo sees no reason to argue. I can make you everything you need to be. A great warrior, a great _champion_. You kill when I tell you to kill. Which is not often. Together, we can accomplish…anything."

Percy looked at Chaos, and then at the opposite direction.

"I can see your heart, Perseus. You wish to run the opposite direction and deny me. I do not blame you. You do not know me as you know the Gods. It would be a risk to trust a stranger such as me. But if you did…it would be something else entirely."

"And that is?"

"Legend, Perseus. Perhaps the greatest in all of Greek history."

Percy wanted _oh so badly _to run the opposite way and find his friends on his own. Why trust this strange Elder God? He learned his lesson with Ares, didn't he?

Unfortunately, all of his decisions were made in the interest of others and not himself. For once, could he not make a selfish choice and accept the power that was given to him? The armor continued to screech and tell him _no, this is wrong, find your friends!_ He could not lie to himself…it was hard to deny the armor when it spoke in his own mother's voice.

Then there was the power that Chaos offered. A Lieutenant, fighting against Gaea. Money, fame, power…women. He could not tell himself that a night with the Goddess of Love is every man's dream. _(She was in your bed the other night stupid. Maybe think of that next time? OH WAIT! There will not be a next time because you scorned a Goddess. Good luck with that dipshit.) _He swears if that voice had a face, he would falcon punch it. Time was running out and a decision had to be made.

"I choose—"

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I know, these cliffhangers really made you angry huh? Well same here, I just needed to formulate how this chapter fits with the rest of the story. So let us continue with this:**_

_**Should Percy go with Chaos and heighten the scale of the adventure?**_

_**Should Percy deny Chaos (so original!) and find the Agents himself?**_

_**Mind you, no matter what you choose the story ends up the same so do not stress over it.**_

_**P.S. The possibility of Percy with other women is very likely. Annabeth will be his in the end, do not worry, but there will be an interval where he looks around at other demigods, Goddesses, and even nymphs or mortals. It all depends. So if you have any ideas, let me know! R&R!**_

_**- Chris**_


	11. The Promises of Percy Jackson

**The Promises of Percy Jackson**

_Long story short, as voted, Percy will join Chaos. First, some business needs attending to._

_By the way, this chapter mentions no names, but the identities are obvious._

* * *

><p><em>When Olympus crumbles beneath Gaea's feet…<em>then _you have my permission to die._

The words rang through the boy's eardrums all the way to his destination.

"I want answers," was the only thing the limp man heard as the doors to his forge swung open.

"I assumed you would," he replied begrudgingly, "_Hero."_

"Where did you get this design? And don't lie to me because I'm not afraid to bring this forge down on the both of us."

"Calm, boy, your questions will be answered in time."

The limp man struggled his way over to a desk, where he sat adjacent to the young hero standing before him. He twiddled his thumbs and sorted a few blueprints that need not be sorted, all in an attempt to try to find the perfect way to say what he needed to say.

"I admit that the designs are from you. So what do you care?"

"I don't," the boy said in a determined voice. He placed his arms down on the desk in front of him, in a relaxed position of thought. He relished the feeling of his new outfit as its ribbing eliminated the fatigue in his aching, albeit _protruding_, toned arms.

"I just want to know why the Hunters scattered my friends. What about Artemis? Thalia? Are you implying that they've turned against us?"

"No boy, merely…out of their hands. Well, _Thalia_ is anyway. Artemis is doing it for a cause that is _bigger_ than the grudges she holds against the male population."

The boy thought until his epiphany became apparent. "The monster…and Gaea?"

"Ah, very good, lad. However, there are other factors involved. Thalia has gone missing, we believe in searching for you, and Chaos, I hear, is recruiting for something."

"And you know what that something is, don't you?"

* * *

><p>The limp turned again, unable to bear the truth of things. How was he to tell this boy, merely at the age of sixteen, his impending doom? Surely, what did he care? He was the lame God that no one wanted. So why, when he looked at the boy's famous eyes that shone the deepest form of sea green, did he feel a level of compassion that he so wished for from his <em>own <em>family?

For reasons unexplainable, he wanted to protect this boy from harm. Did he deserve, after all? All of the lives he saved, and the joy he brought to his family and friends on a daily basis? It was all worth something.

But life, even for a human as _powerful_ as he, is never fair.

* * *

><p>He looked into the lame man's black eyes. He knew, deep down, that the shade of dark that he saw was from pain and not anger or evil. After all, how would <em>he <em>feel, if his family shunned him on looks alone.

_He _could see. He saw the beauty underneath the beast, if you will. It was not a feeling of love, which was too weird for him, just admiration.

_He could still go one with life._

Maybe he does it on purpose. The "ugly" look suits him and only him because the soul that lies beneath the surface is so gorgeous, it outweighs, dare he day it, even the Goddess of Beauty. This makes him the perfect specimen in a sense. How, if his dysfunctional family could look _past_ the physical flaws, they would find a golden boy.

Sometimes, he finds more of a father figure in him than his own. After all, he, without saying a word, taught the boy that no matter what, he could be himself and still find love.

_Ha. A joke, really._

He wants to tell himself that is true. Nevertheless, he cannot. In a world such as his, you must be handsome, you must be dapper, and you must win to get love. He knows it. Before he saved the Gods themselves, he was a nobody to them. Moreover, as soon as his work of _five _years was made into light in a matter of one day, he is now Mr. "Superstar."

It makes him angry. When a man such as the one before him deserves so much glory, so much appreciation, for his soul and his work, and he gets none. He feels, ironically, that his "world-saving" act is not as important anymore. Rather he humbles himself than bask in the adoration of women, children, and men who wish to live up to him.

Then he did something he partially knew he could not do.

* * *

><p>"I want you to give me promises," he says. The lame man looks at him skeptically, eying him with suspicion.<p>

"Promises? Like what?"

"Five promises that I cannot break. I swear on the River Styx to all of them." On cue, as always, thunder boomed.

"Why must I do this?"

"It keeps me humble…gets the job done. If I'm going to feed into Chaos' little game, then I need to make sure I have no room for corruption."

The lame God looked at his and tried not to give him a fatherly smile. Maybe, contrary to popular belief, this boy really was different from other heroes.

"First promise: Never lie, cheat or steal," the cripple said with the most serious of faces. "Second promise: Never commit murder."

The boy took a mental note of this. Those two things would not be hard for a boy with loyalty as evident as his.

"Third promise: Never give in to the temptation of alcohol."

"What?"

"We men try to drink all of our problems away. It is not healthy. Fourth promise: Accept no rewards: humble yourself as a hero."

The boy took more mental notes as he noticed the cripple rise slightly for the last promise that was to be delivered.

"You must not hurt your loves. _That _is the final promise."

"You're kidding right?" the boy questioned, but he fell silent once he received the coldest of stares.

"Ms. Chase is a delightful specimen. She gives you the one thing she has that she knows you can so easily break: her heart. You must not test her faith. She doesn't wish to harm you, and as you very well know, it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, lad."

The boy smiled in agreement. Thanking the God, he left to join the Creator. However, the lame man knew better. No hero can keep a promise for too long. It was not possible; they always betray the Gods and the people they love. This was true of them all.

And Hephaestus feared that even the great Perseus Jackson was no exception.

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><p><em><strong>AN: Yeah, no voting this time. But I just wanted to let you guys know that these so-called "promises" play a key role in this story. Do not worry, next chapter, another vote will be up! Read and Review! **_

– _**Chris**_


	12. The New Kid Always Messes Up

**The New Kid Always Messes Up**

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><p>"For the last time, my mom was not born from balls," Mitchell gritted angrily. Jason and Nico continued to jeer him.<p>

"Dude, don't lie," Nico snickered, "it says it in mythology. After Kronos went ape shit on Ouranos, your mom came out of his ball-sack."

"Whatever, at least my mom isn't—"

Before Mitchell could cross the line, Percy silenced them. Agreeing to work with Chaos made it much easier to find the Agents, as they were all with him already. After being reunited, Chaos gave them their first job. The car ride was full of inappropriate jokes, clever puns, and McDonald's, but Percy did not laugh once. He was determined to complete the mission: saving Tim.

Timothy Rúnda was a formidable fighter, but his ADHD was a bit off. So off that he could be captured by an enemy of Chaos, and if he was not rescued in two hours, they would kill him.

But hey, the new kid always messes up.

So Percy drove for six hours straight to the drop-off zone. It sounded like he was trading money for drugs, except that the bad guy's reward for returning Tim to the Agents was something entirely different: nothing.

What, you thought the good guys were going to actually give in to Gaea's demands? No, it was definitely a snatch and run.

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><p>Timothy Rúnda sat in a desperate position, sweaty and tired from resistance. His wrists were clad in celestial bronze handcuffs, and he was surrounded by unknown men dressed in Greek armor, sporting Spartan helmets and swords. His blood-ridden face dropped down and he almost passed out from exhaustion. Percy Jackson would've been proud to have seen him so strong and powerful.<p>

"Your so-called 'friends' have only five minutes left," a shadowed woman laughed. She refused to show her face and covered it with the hood of a long, draped dress. "This means that you have only five minutes to live."

"That is two more than they need," Tim growled, spitting a wad of blood out as he spoke. "Just you wait and see. You're not gonna win this war."

"I don't intend to," the woman chuckled, grabbing Tim's cheeks and pulling him closer. If his limbs were not contained, he could have sworn he would punch a woman in the face. "My dear boy, I _never_ expected to. I will win battles here and there, perhaps, but I will not win the war. The least I can do is break down the masses until they are well-enough equipped to destroy themselves."

Tim just stared at her, and then at the clock. _Just 45 more seconds…_

"Your death will lead the camp's rebellion. Once the 'newbie' is out of the way, that blasted Camp will blame our hero Perseus. Shunning will lead to fear, fear will lead to hatred, and hatred will lead to exile. I can foresee it."

"Heh," Tim chuckled softly, "you _think _you can foresee it. But the truth is, Gaea, that your pre-cognitive ability has been put to waste."

"Whatever do you mean—"

"_I _see everything, Gaea, my powers can allow that. I am fifty steps ahead of you and everyone else on your side and you can believe that's true. Approximately 15 seconds ago, my friends infiltrated your defenses. They are now in the building. Can you guess what they just found? The items you stole. Percy is searching, he's just found a mirror taken from Drew, a pillow taken from Clovis, and a joke-book taken from the Stoll brothers. You've been doing some dirty work I believe. He has just found a hat, it's Annabeth's, and he's heading this way. You have exactly 10 seconds before he arrives without notice and slaughters your men; you have to realize that the situation is out of your hands."

"You're lying. There's no way you could know that—"

"You have exactly 3 seconds. Sorry it had to be this way. It's happening now."

Immediately after Tim spoke, the wing of a sword could be heard and one by one, every soldier in the room fell to their knees, dying. Gaea, confused, stood silent, wondering where the motion was coming from. Tim just smirked as the screams became louder. "AAAHHGHH!" _One dead. Two dead. Three dead. Four._ With nowhere else to turn, Gaea cowardly teleported out of the room in a panic.

"Nice timing, Seaweed Brain," Tim laughed. Percy took off the Yankees cap, still sporting his Hercules Armor. He glared at Tim and threw him the handcuff keys.

"_Don't _call me that," he jokingly scolded. "No one but _her_ calls me that. _Ever_."

Jason walked in shortly after, followed by Nico and Mitchell. Each of them sported their own armor, except that Jason's was gold, Nico's was black (_oh, so original_), and Mitchell's was pink. Jason handed a syringe to Timothy, which was filled with purple, glossy liquid.

"What is this?"

"Painful, liquidized, indestructible armor. Shoot up your veins quickly, because we have to get out of here ASAP."

Timothy did as he was told, and immediately writhed in pain and doubled over onto the floor. Percy backed up and tried not to stare, for fear of vomiting. Slowly but efficiently, the purple liquid seethed out of his pores and began to harden, becoming shiny and metallic as it did so.

When Tim stood, he sported a purple, ribbed armor similar to Percy and the gang's.

"What is this?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"Think of it as a gift from Chaos," Percy said. "We'll explain things along the way."

"PERCY JACKSON!" a woman shrieked. Percy jolted up and turned his head, to find a _very_ ragged and exhausted Thalia Grace staring at him in the doorway.

"Don't you _ever_ scare me like that again!"

Thalia ran up to him and tackled him in a hug, surprised to see that he was even _alive_. Jason got his share of hugs too, of course, but Thalia was tearing up, explaining all that had transpired. How the Hunters tried to kill him, and kick her out, and how many have died mysteriously. Percy drank it all in, until he heard a familiar voice.

_Kill her._

Percy froze. It was the voice of Chaos, tempting him to murder his best friend.

_She is a distraction. The Hunters are your enemies. Kill her and show them what happens when you test an Agent of Chaos._

Percy commanded his armor to shut the voice out of his head. He was many things, but he made a promise not to kill. Thalia continued to hug him, finding it a miracle that Percy Jackson still lived, and together the six demigods made their way out of the jails and back to Camp Half-Blood, a journey that was made much easier by Percy's trusty blue Challenger. However, one thing he heard rang through his ears the entire ride, giving him periodic frowns.

No matter whom he agreed to work with, he was still an Agent of _Apollo_. And that, as far as he was concerned, would take a lot to change.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: So yay, the Agents are back together. And Percy is right, no matter what happens I promise they will stay Agents of Apollo and no one else. Because it just sounds sexier. Alliteration, my dear Watson. I will try to update soon, but until then, R&R!**_

– _**Chris**_


	13. Look At All the Fresh Meat

**Look At All the Fresh Meat**

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><p>A month went by. Thalia was able to lie to the Hunters to avoid being discharged, but Artemis knew better. She knew that the lie was to protect a friend, and that was the most important thing.<p>

So Thalia went along with her daily activities. Archery practice, food, video-games, sleep, archery practice…same old same old. The only thing she could not figure out was why the Hunters would attack the Agents if the prophecy stated that they needed to work together.

Then she realized that it would take a lot more than a frizzy redhead with green smoke coming out of her mouth to convince her sisters in arms. If the prophecies issued 5 years ago were not enough to convince Zoë Nightshade, then it would be impossible now in times of great paranoia. To prevent her mind from exploding at the possibilities of the situation, she did what she always did to relieve stress.

A single bull's-eye hit at the dummy's head.

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><p>"Damn, this is one fine batch of boys we have here, huh Mitchell?" Jason said with a sadistic smile on his face, as he walked up and down the ranks of numerous teenage boys standing in front of him. Jason's facial expression was one of intimidation, insanity, or maybe just both. The boys were new recruits applying for the Agents of Apollo, and Jason was happy to thin out the weaklings in a day of fun.<p>

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, Mr. Grace, but I'd prefer you not stare down my boys like some desperate city-mall rapist," Mitchell said in an off-tone, speaking loudly. His voice was militaristic and commanding, but kind of imitated a cross between Tommy Lee-Jones and Morgan Freeman…one of which was not at all scary, just damn good at narrating Animal Planet documentaries.

Mitchell walked up to a little boy in the line, one who looked the most frightened. He stared the boy down for quite some time, trying to see if he would cry or at least shed a tear from fear alone. He did not move, which impressed the Agents.

"What's your name, kid?" Mitchell said in an easier voice than he previously sported.

"I-I-t-t's J-J-immy, sir. My name is Jimmy."

"Why so trembly?"

"Not trembly sir, just anxious."

"You know, this isn't a game. This is real. You're playing a game of cards and in this game playing the wrong hand winds you up dead."

"Understood sir."

"You want to be an Agent, that's why you're here."

"Yes, sir."

"Then you'll have to show me you can handle it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes."

"Yes _who_."

"SIR YES SIR."

Mitchell then broke down laughing. "Dude I'm just kidding, I just always wanted to hear that. Chill out this isn't a jail."

The teenage boy dropped his shoulders and breathed in relief, not minding the hoard of laughter coming from the group of boys around him.

Percy walked out to the boys, and immediately they stopped and stood straight. Apparently, even the mortal boys knew about his rank.

"So this is them?" Percy asked himself aloud. "Look at all the fresh meat. Careful I don't feed some of you rare-cuts to the hell-hounds."

Some of the boys chuckled safely when they noticed the warm feeling they were given from Percy's award-winning smile and eyes (not that _any_ of them were looking).

Percy spotted a young, messy-brown-haired boy hiding himself from the rest of the crowd, attempting not to stick out. His shoulders were slumped only slightly, in an "I don't care anymore" fashion, and his startling blue eyes screamed the word "superficial." _Another Aphrodite boy. Perfect._

Percy immediately threw a rudimentary, celestial bronze sword at the boy, who luckily caught it. Percy shot out his own prized blade, Riptide (which looked even better in person), choosing to utilize it over the artificial double-blade that Zeus had given him.

"You. You have five seconds. Give me your name."

"Anthony! Anthony Gale."

"Anthony. Nice, you had two seconds to spare. Fight me."

"Um, pardon?"

"Fight me. Now. Or I can just stab you and move on."

"I—I don't really do much fighting."

"Yeah I know, because you're probably too busy reading cosmopolitan like the rest of your siblings. Fight me."

With no other option, Anthony charged Percy with all the might he could muster, and Percy blocked it with the most bored of expressions on his face.

"Seriously? My _grandmother_ could kill a hydra faster than you, kid."

Anthony was getting madder with the insults, and pushed Percy back a few feet, earning some surprised "oohs" and "ahhs." Percy smirked and flipped his sword in a circle, trying to find his footing and his grip. _Comfortable, yet dominating. No one can steal it from me._

"Good, you're angry, I want you angry, but don't act on it, stay focused—"

Anthony still charged. Percy was not fazed by Anthony's sudden burst of manliness. He had seen and done too much to allow himself to be intimidated by a fourteen-year-old teenage boy whose biggest fear was what he would to wear to school every single day.

"You're afraid. You're afraid that if you don't charge me every single chance you get, you'll be bested and made a fool of in front of everyone here."

Anthony ignored him, grunting with every thrust and parry.

"I'm not your brothers and sisters. I know what it's like to care about image."

Anthony grew angrier and angrier, losing all focus he had left in his being.

"But designer clothes aren't going to protect you when a monster has its claws at your throat."

Anthony continued to thrust and parry like a lunatic. Percy's confidence was slowly but surely wearing him down making him lose all of his momentum.

"A sword is a better weapon than the cutest couple."

Percy did not stop. The comments were beginning to weigh down on poor Anthony. It was to the point that he no longer felt human, but instead like a Ken doll, like if he pulled down his underwear to see his rear, he would find a "Made in China" label. Percy still radiated warmness, however, that told a small part of Anthony that he did not truly wish to hurt his feelings.

"I can see. You are feeling self-conscious. You fear, and fear is good. However, it also deteriorates concentration. It makes you cop out. Close your eyes when you fight, and let the wind guide you through the fight. Because you will _always_ fear what you see."

Anthony made his final mistake, running his sword directly at Percy, allowing the Son of Poseidon to deflect the blow and knock it out of Anthony's hands. Anthony fell back onto the ground, sighing in exhaustion. Whereas Percy, while standing in his false glory, barely shed a bead of sweat. The love child stared up at his successor, expecting a mass of bullying to erupt as he was used to in Camp Half-Blood. Instead, Percy smiled and held his hand out.

"Hey everyone. Guess what? Anthony Gale is now our newest agent. He was able to fight me off for ten minutes straight while taking bashes to his inner confidence. _He did not give up!_ If anyone else is brave like Anthony, feel free to join us. If not, there's the door."

Immediately, all the boys rushed after Percy, following him back to the Agent's hideout. Nico ran up beside his cousin, impressed with his teaching style.

"So you think these guys will be ready?" he asked Percy cautiously.

"Yes," he replied, "with all my heart. These guys aren't kids, they'll be adults fairly soon, and it's about time they started taking some responsibility."

"Yeah, but they're fresh meat, Perce," Jason said, popping up out of nowhere. "They need some time to see how this game works."

"Gaea is the queen of taking naps, Jason," Percy joked. "I think we have time. You know, there _was_ this idea, to bring together seven of the world's greatest demigods. So that one day, when the worst possible destruction came upon the mortal world, they would be able to fight the battle that the Gods never could."

"Yep, I know, the Prophecy of Seven. And your point is?"

"The idea has been around for centuries. I think it's time someone drew up the blueprints."

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><p><em><strong>AN: Yes, updated in two days! I think that is a new record. Anyway, tell me what you think! And more importantly, where do you think this is heading? Will the Hunters agree to work with the Agents finally? And with all the new recruits, how do you think their interactions will go? Read, review, and share it with me! **_

– _**Chris**_


	14. Copyright Infringement

**A/N: I will need MULTIPLE OCs for the remainder of the story. I only have two of my own and this tale requires a ton of them…so do not hesitate to submit your characters in a review. They can be a Hunter, Agent, or neither, it doesn't matter, and the only requirement is that you be creative!**

**P.S. This is fan-fiction, not follow the rules-fiction. I will accept characters from ANY God or Goddess, including Artemis, Athena, Hestia, and Hera. If your character is accepted, I will MAKE it work for you.**

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><p><strong>Here's the form:<strong>

**Name:**

**Gender:**

**Age:**

**Godly Parent: **

**Appearance:**

**Personality:  
><strong>

**Power(s):**

**Weapon(s) of Choice:**

**Any Special Items? (i.e. Armor, enchanted clothing and/or jewelry, etc.):**

**Romance? If yes, with whom:**

**Fatal Flaw (must have at least one):**

**Alignment (Good or Evil?):**

**Organization (Hunters, Agents, or team of your choice):**

**Anything else, such as personal requests for your OC:**

* * *

><p><strong>P.S.S. Yeah, this story will be my longest one yet. I need A LOT of OCs so there is really no limit, if a considerable amount of you submit then I will try my best to fit them all in. Along with the next chapter, I will have a list of accepted OCs, but that does NOT mean that the submissions are closed. When the list is full, I will let you know in an Author's Note. Again, be creative, and, above all, have fun with it!<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Copyright Infringement<strong>

The last thing Theron Samuels expected was a monster to attack him in school.

Lucky for him, no monsters attacked him in school.

Yeah I know, you were expecting a more daring sentence, but unfortunately, he's safe for now.

* * *

><p><em>One Hour Earlier<em>

"So, you're sending us on a bunch of rescue missions, then?" Nico asked Chaos, who wore a simple black dress suit. The Creator simply looked up at the Son of Hades and smirked. He was a friendly boss, but also distant.

"Much more than that, I'm afraid," he said, averting eye contact with the Agents. "The boys that I am sending you to 'rescue', as Mr. Di Angelo has put it, are vital to the prophecy. As are the young ladies I expect to see in the near future."

"The Agents are a boys-only group," Percy corrected. "They don't work with girls. At least not on the same team."

"I know that, smart one."

"So why tell us about it?"

"Because, I never said you'd allow them to _join_. I need you to lead them to the Hunters."

"Why?"

"This monster, is extremely powerful, Perseus. It can give the Titans a run for their money. The only way to defeat it is to have the Agents and Hunters work hand in hand, but to do that you'll all need the power of the Olympians."

"How exactly will _that_ work?" Jason shot out. He silenced as he watched Chaos pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"_That_…will be explained later," he gritted. "For now, worry only about the mission at hand. A thirteen-year-old boy, Theron Samuels, is going to Goode High school. Little does he know that the cheerleader he has a crush on is an empousai. Life sucks."

Nico began to chortle behind Percy, before being whipped in the back of the head by an annoyed Mitchell.

"Alright, Theron Samuels, Goode High School, kill the hot cheerleader. Should be easy enough," Percy listed as he summoned his Hercules Armor. Luckily, it no longer hurt him as the liquid seeped through his skin.

"I hate it when the hot chicks are evil," Mitchell groaned as the Agents flew off into the sky.

* * *

><p>"So then if x = 12 and y = 12x to the power of 4, then y would be…Theron?" the teacher asked the boy half-asleep.<p>

"Um...429, 981, 696," Theron recited, almost unemotionally. "Sir." _Definitely a child of Athena._

Before the teacher could respond, the bell rang and Theron darted out of the room. Before he even reached his locker, a cheerleader strode up to him and flashed him the brightest of smiles.

"Hey, Theron," she said playfully, placing her slender hand on his shoulder. _Run, man, run for it!_

"Heh, hey Sarah," Theron managed to choke out from nervousness.

"So, I have something I've been meaning to tell you," Sarah whispered, bending over slightly in a suggestive manner…

Percy Jackson and Jason Grace changed out of their armors as they and the Agents arrived at Goode High's entrance. Both sported regular outfits consisting of jeans, t-shirts, and converse.

"So, how will we know?" Jason asked as he and Percy entered the school full of frenzying teenagers.

"Look for the cheerleader acting _very_ sexual with a young boy," Percy said half-heartedly.

Then they saw her. Flowing black hair, bright blue eyes, and the skimpiest cheerleading uniform they had ever laid eyes on. Percy and Jason tried not to drool over her, as they stayed focused on the mission at hand.

"Someone has to distract her while we get the kid out of here," Jason points out, looking back at the Agents barricading the entrance. Percy was still mesmerized and Jason struggled to keep his attention.

"Percy! _Single _males fighting against evil, remember?"

"Oh, right. So who's gonna distract her?"

"Who do you think?"

"What? No way! I can't do that! If I couldn't control myself with Aphrodite, then I can't—"

"Um, excuse me?"

"Um…nothing."

"You and Aphrodite? Tell me you're joking."

"Nothing happened! I mean, nothing like _that_…"

"Dude, Ares is going to have your head for that!"

"She almost had mine…"

"Yeah, OK, we're definitely done talking about this man. At least before I puke."

Percy strolled up to them with Jason close behind, although the latter was trying to evade the empousai's view. When Sarah caught sight of Percy, she licked her top lip and winked, causing Percy to flash the goofiest smile he had ever flashed. He arrived in front of her, but was at a loss for words when she looked at him with lust-filled eyes.

"And how can I help _you_?" she said in a low growl, adding a suggestive shrill to the last word of her sentence.

"Yeah, how can she help _you_?" Theron sneered, although his voice was full of hatred.

_Φίλε__, είσαι __ξεχνώντας__ποιοι είστε__; __Ό, τι__λέτε__, θα __πάρει__αυτό το κορίτσι__πηγαίνει__. __Σταματήστε να__ενεργεί__σαν ένα__chach__._There was that damn voice again. All the suave and rudeness had returned with it.

"So, why are you chilling with this nerd when you could be hanging out with a guy like me?" Percy managed to spit out in what he dubbed as his "James Bond" voice. The cheerleader smirked and decided to play hard to get.

"What if this nerd just so happened to be my _boyfriend_?" she asked, earning a hopeful gleam from Theron, who looked back at Percy expectantly.

"Oh, you're her boyfriend?" Percy chuckled. "That's cool. I can be her _man_friend."

If Percy Jackson becomes a God, remind Zeus to make him the God of Clever Comebacks.

Sarah simply laughed and took her hand away from Theron, whose facial expression turned to murderous. Percy walked off with the cheerleader, much to Theron's dismay, before he was approached by a very hurrying Jason Grace.

"Hey kid, long story short, we gotta get out of here _now_," he said, tugging Theron out towards the exit.

"Who the hell are you? Who—" was all Theron got to say before Jason covered his mouth and walked out of the door.

Jason let go of Theron and dropped him before Mitchell, Nico, and Tim. He looked up and was confused, but that was expected. As he looked back, he saw Percy take out a sword…yes, sword…and run Sarah through. He would've screamed, but then he saw her dissolve into magic yellow dust.

That's when he fainted.

* * *

><p>When Theron woke up, he was sitting in a large, lit room. There were silver Star Trek-esque chairs and computers, and holographic interfaces flying around his head. He was wearing a silver and black outfit. It breathed with him but was hard like metal, and seemed to be talking to him as he rose. When his vision cleared, he saw multiple teenage boys sporting the same look, but in different colors.<p>

Chaos, the Creator, walked up to Theron and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Ah, you're awake. I'm sure you have no idea where you are. I am—"

"Chaos, Creator of the Universe. I am a demigod son of…Athena? There's a Camp for demigods, named Camp Half-Blood. In addition, there is Camp Jupiter. I'm a genius, despite my ADHD and Dyslexia. You are all Agents of Apollo and Chaos, and I'm wearing some organic material designed to protect me from harm as well as deal a great amount of damage to my enemies. Schematics designed by Percy Jackson himself. And yeah, we have a lot more Agents coming in, don't we? And I'm one of you now, right?"

"Ah, your memory banks have kicked in. Your armor provides you with advanced intelligence, via a built in Google Search option."

"Why Google?"

"Bing was too overrated."

"So what am I supposed to do now?" Theron asked, checking out his new look.

"For now, get some rest. Eat. Get to know the Agents. Whatever you want, really."

Theron walked off and began to talk with Nico and Tim, the youngest of the group and the closest to his maturity level. Percy walked up to Chaos and looked on with him, trying to get the words out of his mouth.

"So, you never did explain how to get the powers of the Olympians," Percy said, his voice trailing off.

"In time, Perseus. In time," Chaos replied, walking back to his quarters. Percy turned to face him and crossed his arms.

"You're hiding something. This isn't going to be easy, is it?"

"No. I won't make anything easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it."

Percy smirked. "Don't _ever_ say that again."

Chaos turned, a smile forming on his face. The first in a while. "And why is that, Mr. Jackson?" he asked, trying not to laugh.

"Because…that's copyright infringement."

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><p><em><strong>AN: There you go. I really need some OCs before I update a new Chapter, so please don't hesitate! Remember, nothing is off limits, so review and submit like crazy people! **_

_**- Chris**_


	15. Made To Be Broken

_**A/N: By the way, all of the submitted characters have been accepted:**_

_**Benji Madden, Son of Aphrodite** (submitted by **Ink-Cola-Koala**)_

_**Alexander Tonner, Son of Dionysus** (submitted by **Riley Coyote**)_

_**Crystal Anderson, Daughter of Zeus** (submitted by **hunterofartemis25**)_

_**I need a few more people. Don't be shy. Review and be creative, I really need the effort!**_

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><p><strong>Made To Be Broken<strong>

Percy Jackson stumbled into his cabin, where Nico Di Angelo was watching TV, agreeing to stay the night. It was only their first day back to camp since their leave with the Agents, and young Perseus had already fallen out with his "girlfriend", if the two even considered themselves that anymore.

"You OK, man?" Nico asked carefully, trying not to anger the already fumed hero.

"Stupid bitch, thinking she can just end everything like that—"

"WHOA! Percy, dude…what is this? Why are you talking like that? You don't usually curse. Is it Annabeth?"

"_Who the hell do you think it is smart one?" _Percy yelled, trying to contain himself. After all, the kid was only trying to sooth his best friend…

"OK, I'm sorry. What happened?"

"Annabeth…thinks we should…take time off. Son of a bitch, right? After all we went through, just because I'm never around…and she thinks that I don't _care_, how could I not _care_, having to wake up every morning to the Agents and never seeing her Gods damn _face_, wondering if I'll make it back to her alive—"

"Please don't tell me she broke up with you."

"Are you deaf? What the hell else could 'take time off' mean, Nico?"

The Son of Hades felt surprisingly more saddened than he usually did, what with his trademark gloomy outlook on life. Seeing his best friend, hell, almost _brother_ slump into his bed sheets as he did was too much for him to stare at without feeling like crying for him.

Percy just crawled up into a ball, not shedding a tear but trying to, just so some of the sadness could wash itself out. He refused to cry…she said _time_ _off_ only, right? Hopefully, just maybe, that meant they could get back together.

"Percy, look," Nico tried, "if there's one thing I know, it's that Annabeth loves you deeply, there's no way she's thought all of this through completely, you two _need_ each other for the Gods sake."

Percy swallowed and looked up to the wall, and Nico noticed an odd darkness to his eyes…the bright, sea green orbs were now grassy and pained. Nico watched as his friend rose from the bed, walked to the mini fridge in his cabin, and pulled out…what was that…a bottle of vodka?

"What the—Percy where the hell did you get that!" Nico shouted, his voice cracking from shock and anger. Percy just looked at him as if he were crazy, as he popped the cork with ease and took a swig.

"What the hell does it look like, genius?"

"Percy…you're 18…you can't drink yet!"

"Yeah? Who the hell is going to stop me, Nico? _You_? I dare you to try."

Nico fell silent. He knew better than that. A fight between him and Percy would end in the inevitable: the violent victory of the Son of Poseidon. All the 13-year-old demigod could do is watch in horror as his closest friend destroyed his insides with the sting of alcohol.

"You promised Hephaestus…yourself…Percy, stop."

Percy stared up as the sky thundered. He knew why. Hephaestus had known that Percy broke one of his promises. Did he care? No. Not really. He was too drowned in break-up pain to care about what any of the Gods thought. So lost in his sorrow that part of his mind actually tried to convince him to find that blasted Love Goddess and do one of two things: he could rant about how much of a sadist she is, or have wild, uncontrollable sex with her in revenge against his freshly decided ex-girlfriend.

_Neither choice was to his liking._

Part of his mind, the sane half, was screaming at him to drop that bottle and deal with his pain by having a go in the arena, or taking a swim…something less self-destructive. Nico watched and couldn't help but think that the sudden breakdown was because of the amount of stress put on by Percy's lifestyle.

Quests, near-death-experiences, five minutes of happiness, and sleep. Repeat cycle.

Now, even the younger of the two had to admit that the lifestyle that they as demigods had was not the best life, nor the one anyone would ask for. But hell, it was _their_ life. They had to make the best of it, and find light and happiness for themselves, instead of waiting for it to come to them.

Yet, those thoughts dissolved as Nico watched his closest friend down one gulp of vodka after another. Coaxing him didn't work, and fighting him would be stupid. Honestly, he was faced with unrivaled swordsmanship skills, insane water powers, unmatched strength…plus alcohol-induced instability.

_Better yet, he could call _that_ delightful equation a recipe for disaster. _

But hey, he had to try, right?

"Percy, listen," Nico said, trying to get Percy to look at his dark eyes. "I know you're mad, I know you feel pain, but…you have to stop. You can't…_drink_ to solve this problem. You promised yourself you'd stay away from this. It'll only make you more easily breakable to your enemies. A man who isn't right in his mind and heart—"

Percy began to drown out everything he heard. Nico's words slurred and the Son of Poseidon began to fall into drunken bliss. "Easily breakable" was right, but Nico was forgetting one thing. After all these years, Percy had lost many bits and pieces of his psyche over time. As far as he was concerned, you couldn't break a man who's already been broken.

As far as Percy Jackson was concerned, he was _made_ to be broken.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: That happened a bit fast, but it all leads to something even bigger. I'm contemplating making a one-shot or deleted scene chapter about how the break-up actually went down, but is that a good idea or not? The new characters will arrive and make their debuts in the next chapter, so be on the lookout in the next few days! Oh, and don't forget to make me proud and review, my friends. Read on…and review. Did I say that already?**_

– _**Chris**_


	16. What Did She Just Say?

**What Did She Just Say?**

_Two Weeks Later_

"I wouldn't say you're the best," Chaos said through a smile. All of the other Agents were pushing, shoving, and messing around. Percy Jackson looked up at his boss, a smirk across his lips. How _dare_ he accuse _the_ Perseus Jackson of not being the shit?

"Not the best?" Percy asked vainly. "You do realize this is the guy who fought and defeated four Titans, two Gods, found the Golden Fleece, returned the Master Bolt, solved Daedalus' Labyrinth, and saved Olympus?"

"I could do that in a week," Chaos joked. The Agents were still roughhousing and the Creator thought it would be a nice change to give a motivational speech.

"Alright, who are the new boys?" Chaos announced, waiting for his senior Agents to bring up his new victims.

The first boy of two was sixteen, and of average height. He had shaggy black hair to cover his bright green eyes. He reminded the others of Percy, except for the older, authoritative aura that the Son of Poseidon usually gave off. He had not yet received armor yet, and so he wore a plaid black and white flannel shirt that was rolled up at the sleeves, and sported black denim shorts to match. Chaos could tell already that he was a son of Aphrodite. The only significance was the boy's cartilage piercing that Chaos spotted. He felt as if that was the reason he could not pick up his demi-godly scent.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Benji. Benji Madden."

"We get a lot of you Aphrodite boys around here. What makes you any different?"

The boy stayed silent. He was not afraid, however, of the booming man before him.

"I asked you a question."

"I don't know sir. I don't know what makes me different."

"Tell me, Benji, are you afraid to die?"

The boy looked up, finally. "Death is a natural part of life. To fear nature is to fear myself."

"Benji, you're gonna go through hell with us. Any man on this team who tells you that they don't fear death is either a liar, or a fool. Death is natural if you're lucky, but dammit, luck isn't on the side of a demigod. One of these days, you're going to run into a Hunter, or a monster, or a God, or a Titan…one that you can't beat. And when death stares into your bright eyelids, tell me what the hell you're going to say?"

"Hades called. He wants his little bitch boy back."

The Agents erupted into laughter and cheers, patting Benji on the back, albeit hard. Chaos smiled too, but it was only in moderation. He snapped his fingers. "Alright, get this maggot out of my face. Who's the other guy?"

The second boy walked up, and looked a bit different. He had black, Justin-Bieber-styled haircut, and dark blue eyes. If Chaos didn't have great vision, he could have mistaken them for violet. He had an athletic body for a boy looking about fourteen, and was a bit taller for his demographic. He seemed to be talking to himself.

"A Dionysus boy, eh?" Chaos mused. Any demigods to talk to himself or herself were either crazy or a child of Dionysus.

"Agents, gotta be with the Agents, gotta save them, have to save them, they don't know—" the boy spoke quietly in intervals, his words seeming to move out faster than his lips actually flapped.

"Um, are you OK?—"

Time seemed to stop for the boy, until he looked up and reverted to normal. "Hi, I'm Alexander Tonner; I also accept Alex, Xander, Tonner, Mr. Tonner, Dr. Tonner, Mr. Dr. Professor Tonner, T-Dog, A-Dog, Alex Da Kid, Cray, and Violet Thunder but don't ask why, Sexy Beast, and Ben."

Chaos and the Agents just stared blankly at the boy, trying to process all of the optional nicknames. Percy just simply shook his head and took a swig of some form of bottled alcohol, his new hobby.

"Right, um, well then…as you all were."

The Agents scattered, leaving Benji and Alex to fend for themselves. Alex turned to Benji, receiving no more than a cold stare. His bright green eyes were flooded with sarcasm and pity for the "lesser" being standing beside him.

"So, I'm Alex. Nice to meet you."

"You remind me of when my fish died. In a fire. His charred scales caused the incense by my bed to fail and spew the scent of darkness, death, and depression amongst the freeze-ridden puke-fest of my cabin back at Camp."

Alex's face skinned up and he felt terrible. His shoulders slumped and he began to turn away. Before he could, however, Benji started to laugh and smile at him.

"I'm just kidding man; I'm Benji, nice to meet you too."

The two shook hands and were approached by Percy, Nico, and Jason in the infamous blue Challenger, who looked at them from head to toe, analyzing their worth. Percy belched and drank more of his vodka, earning uncomfortable stares from the demigods around him. He shrugged the feeling off and slurred as he spoke.

"You two, come with me, were going out."

Benji and Alex knew better than to question _the_ Percy Jackson, and followed suit. They jumped into the back seat, and watched in silence as Nico drove them into the city, disallowing the intoxicated Percy to drive and otherwise hurt the five of them in a car accident.

When they arrived, they walked onto the sidewalk. Unbeknownst to the competitive Percy, who challenged Alex to arm-wrestle him, the young boy secretly relieved him of his drunkenness through touch (a gift from his father, God of Wine). Nico and Jason silently thanked him for this deed.

On the way to a video-game store, a woman called out.

"Percy Jackson, is that you? Hey, come over here! Come talk to us!"

The voice belonged to a Hunter. Percy had forgotten her name, but if he wasn't an Agent and she wasn't a maiden Hunter, he would've said she was hot. She had wavy, dark-red locks, and a full figure to accent her beautiful hazel eyes and pouty lips.

Percy didn't want to walk over. His mind was trained for a year straight to hate the Hunters, not go and talk to one like they were fixing up for a date or number exchange. However, this Hunter was with a few others, particularly new Hunters, and one caught Percy's eyes.

She was tall for a girl around thirteen, and sported pink highlights in between her strands. She had the classic "blonde-and-blue-eyed" look and was in possession of the cutest light blue orbs Percy had ever seen. Even though thirteen wasn't that young of an age, Percy saw a little sister in this Hunter. Oddly enough, a fatherly protection mechanism began to click around inside his now sober mind.

Making the less confrontational decision, Percy simply strolled over to the Hunters with is friends in tow. He stared down the hazel-eyed leader with his sea-green pools, but his were filled with vanity and condemnation.

"Yeah, what?" Percy asked the girl in a strained, angered voice.

"You, Percy Jackson," she began, "and you two are Nico and Jason, right? You're the Agents of Apollo?"

"Yes. Who wants to know?"

Contrary to the popular belief of the boys, the Hunters turned to each other, smiled and…saluted. Percy's jaw almost dropped as his face twisted in confusion. The leader spoke up.

"My name is Isabelle. This is Crystal Anderson," she introduced, pointing to the young, blonde-haired girl. "And this is Maria. I just want to say that the monster you busted on Olympus a while back was some of the best fighting I've ever seen. Would you mind signing my bow?"

Percy's face was priceless. Jason coughed and almost passed out. Benji and Alex just looked at each other, confused as to what the big deal was. Percy was supposed to have fans, right? Nico placed his hand on Percy's shoulder, and wondered aloud.

"What did she just say?"

Percy looked back to him. "I don't know. Are we getting Punk'd? Where's Ashton?"

The girl laughed. "Yeah, they told me you were funny. Don't worry, not all of us hate men as much as the others." Before Percy could sign the girl's weapon, a familiar face appeared in front of them. The face of Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt.

"Percy Jackson, we have a situation," the Goddess said hurriedly, looking as if she had been running for a long time. Percy tried to calm her down, telling her to breathe.

"What's wrong Artemis, what's happened?" Artemis looked up. Her eyes were pained and she had a small blood-splat across her cheek.

"Dragons, heading to Camp Half-Blood. They laid waste to our thrones and…they've taken my brother Apollo!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Yep. The next chapter will be very action-heavy, and rest assured, Apollo will be fine. But will one of the Agents fare as well? Read to find out; don't go around thinking I'll just tell you. Read and Review people!**_

– _**Chris**_


	17. What Is That On Your Hands?

**What Is That On Your Hands?**

Nico walked into Percy's tent at base, only to see him doing the same thing he always did. He continued to gulp down the last drops of his vodka. Nico walked up and snatched the bottle from him.

"Hey! What the hell man give that back," Percy growled, trying not to let the alcohol tempt him to punch his best friend in the face.

"No," Nico shot back, pouring out the rest into a sink and smashing the bottle on the hard-wood floor. "We have a job to do. We have to save Apollo. If I see you swallow even a _drop _of this stuff while in battle, I'll stab you myself."

"I'd like to see you try, Death Breath."

"I'm not playing around Percy. You're not drinking this time. Not even a drop, you better hope to the Gods that I find you sober by the end of tonight."

"Why the hell do you even care so much?"

"Because it's self-destructive, because we're flying on Pegasi and we don't need to shed any horse-blood with your intoxicated navigation and because you're Percy Jackson. You're supposed to be a role model and a sex appeal, not a disgusting, selfish-thinking drunken."

Percy just laughed and spit into his sink, trying to shake off his undying crave for the alcohol his friend had just poured down the drain. "You think I do this because of _her_?"

Nico shook his head and watched as Percy began to speed-up his pacing around the room. He fiddled with his hair and struggled with his armor, even though he wasn't even supposed to feel it on his skin. The paranoia had increased with the intoxication.

"I don't drink, because of Annabeth. I don't care, I never cared…I mean I did, but who the fuck cares anymore?"

"Obviously you."

"I don't do it for her. Drinking because a girl dumped me, hah! I could have anyone I wanted. I can have nymphs, Goddesses, demigods, mortals, and even men if I had it my way. It doesn't matter, but it's _not_ why I drink."

"Then why, Perce? Why do you choose to destroy yourself like this?"

Percy pulled Nico towards him in a violent thrash, his hands clenching the boy's shoulders in an awkward, frightening embrace. Percy's eyes were filled with twisted, psychotic and misplaced delight.

"Because of the _rush_, kid! I run into battle and risk my life countless times, get scratched up countless times, and feel pain countless times. But guess what? Not when I'm drunk. I don't _feel_ the pain. Fighting the Hunters was the first time I was ever shot in the small of my back, and it didn't hurt."

Immediately, Percy thrashed Nico in the opposite direction and showed him his back by taking off the shirt part of his armor. The small of his back was no longer invincible, but it was _terrifying_. Black and green veins protruded in a spinal, leaf-like pattern and were engraved onto his spine like scars. It was like poisoned skin, and it frightened Nico just a little bit more than the things he saw in the Underworld. They seemed to steam with an eerie green vapor, and it looked like someone had poured acid on him.

"Percy—what? I don't understand—"

"_This_, Nico, is what happens when you try to be invincible. The rest of my skin? Flawless. But look at the price I had to pay."

Before Nico could respond, an unexpected visitor walked through the tent entrance: Artemis. She stopped dead in her tracks and her eyes widened to see a shirtless Percy in all his glory, but what truly caught her eye were the veins on his back.

"Percy, um…what is that?" she said, trying to ignore the fact that Percy was sweaty shirtless, and reeking of alcohol.

"It isn't important. Get out, both of you."

"Percy, I came in to tell you—"

"I don't care, Artemis. Leave the tent. Now."

Rather than changing the poor man into a jackalope or arguing with his already unstable attitude, Artemis just shook her head and left. Nico looked at Percy disappointingly, and threw him his armored shirt, which he violently pulled on over his chest.

"Let's go, Nico. We have a Sun God to save."

* * *

><p>The horizon over Camp Half-Blood was sun-less, no thanks to Apollo himself. Teams of Agents were hovering on Pegasi over the camp borders, high in the sky. Luckily, Jason had asked his father permission for his friends to be in the air.<p>

Nico and Percy flew far ahead, waiting for the dragons to appear in the air and shoot them out of the sky.

"You're sure they're this way?" an agitated, alcohol-less Percy grunted.

"Yes," Nico said with his eyes to the greyed, open sky. "You know Amy, right?"

"Yeah, Amy Halloway, daughter of Apollo. What about her?"

"She had a dream…a prophetic one, I mean. She told me where they'd show up. She also knows where her father is. Find her, and she'll tell you where to find Apollo."

"Seems easy enough. Where is she?"

"Her cabin, saddling up and getting ready for battle. Getting to her may take some time, there are dragons everywhere, coming from all directions. In the sky, the forest, water ones coming in from Long Island Sound…get past the beasties and you'll get to her no problem."

"Sounds like a plan…and just in time for the snot-nosed snouts. Get ready."

As Percy spoke, the flapping of wings could be heard and dragons swooped in from all directions. Nico tried to give direction, but Percy's stubbornness seemed to plunge him into battle without warning, leaving Nico in the dust.

As the dragons swooped in against the current of air, Percy became erratic in his movement, slicing and dicing at the metal-hard scales on the dragons' hides. He grunted and attempted to keep balanced on Blackjack, but to no avail.

Almost 20 minutes of fighting had gone on and dragons still flew in from all directions, trying to set fire to the campgrounds. Evading the Agents was damn near impossible, luckily, and each time a dragon came close to scorching a cabin or two, an Agent would fly in on his Pegasus and dice it up.

Percy's mind was not on the battle, however, and all that crossed him was his desire to find Apollo, his original mentor and friend. The Hunters of Artemis could be seen below, fighting off monsters. There were some he didn't recognize, that looked like vampires and werewolves. Campers were taking action as well, and Percy decided to find Amy, finally.

Soaring down at impossible speeds, Percy pulled up and flew low around the camp, dodging all of the brutality surrounding him. As he neared the Apollo cabin, he saw one of the vampiric monsters biting at a camper's neck, stopping him in his tracks. It was a new first-year camper, and Percy was not about to let that creature kill him.

Charging at the long-fanged man, Percy uncapped Riptide so efficiently that most could not see the process, and lunged at the man, causing him to drop the boy to the ground, his neck covered in his own blood.

Percy swung, but the man evaded him easily, almost floating in his movement as he swept from side to side. Before he could attack Percy, however, a torrent of water hit him and knocked him off balance, allowing Percy to run him through and watch as he fell to the ground. Strange, shouldn't he have evaporated into monster dust?

Percy had no time to ponder this as he ran over to the camper, pulling him over his lap as he kneeled and tried to pressure the neck wound.

"Hang on, kid, we'll get you help, I promise!" he cried out among the loud thrashings of battle around them, looking for any medics or ambrosia. None could be found. When Percy looked back down at him, the boy was already dead. Trying to hold back tears, Percy carried the boy over to a pile of dead campers and Hunters, laying him down gently rather than throwing him into the mix.

Running as fast as he could, he used Riptide to break into the Apollo Cabin, where Amy stood, getting her bow and arrow ready. She was around sixteen, and had long brown hair with blonde highlights. The only thing that truly caught Percy's attention was her eyes. They were bright blue with an odd, golden ring around them. Rather than spending time thinking about them, he wasted no time.

"Hey, your father! Tell me, where is he?" Percy said hurriedly. Amy looked at him expectantly, keeping calm despite the frenzy outside.

"Being guarded by dragons, actually," she said, finishing the last touches on her battle load-out, which included twin hunting knives. "We don't have much time before Gaea catches him and once she does, things are gonna get ugly."

Percy nodded and put Riptide away, waiting for Amy to catch on.

"What, you want me to go with you?"

"You had the dreams. You know where to look. Yes, you're coming with me."

"Don't I have to be issued a quest?" Amy asked, scratching her head as Percy became more and more agitated.

"Fine," Percy gritted through his teeth, thinking quickly. "Daughter of Apollo and Son of the Sea, must travel for the Sun wherever he may be, one shall fight and one shall find, but only if together they work their…minds. Happy? Let's get to it."

Amy started to walk, until she noticed the caked blood on Percy's fingers. Percy turned to see what she was looking at, and noticed the blood. Percy's eyes widened as he realized that while he didn't touch the camper, that vampiric creature did not turn to dust like a monster.

Percy heard two things.

The sound of Amy's scratched out voice as she asked, "What is that on your hands?"

And the sound of yet another rolling of thunder in the sky.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Ooooohhhh. So what was that thing that Percy killed? Do you think it should even count as a violation of the promises? Read and review, and tell me.**_

_**P.S. A big thanks to meganflutefire12 for submitting Amy Halloway, Daughter of Apollo.**_

– _**Chris**_


	18. Redemption Road

**Redemption Road**

Before Percy could respond or react, he blinked and was somewhere else. An office of sorts, and a man grunting and writing vigorously on a piece of paper. The man looked familiar, and his mannerisms all began to cloud in Percy's memories. He went from being a strange unknown to the one person Percy did not wish to see.

_Hephaestus._

Percy cleared his throat, still scratchy from the alcohol he had consumed earlier.

"Am I in trouble?" he asked, as the God looked up and smirked, then twisted into a disdaining frown.

"No, actually," Hephaestus reassured, his face lightening. "Quite the opposite in fact. You and your friend Jason happen to be the only ones who can help us with this problem."

Percy's face turned quizzical, and the effects of the liquor began to wear off. He began to feel something…regret. Regret for drinking, regret for killing an innocent, and regret for treating his friends horribly.

"What is it that you need?"

"As you know," he began, "The monster you 'killed' all those months ago has not truly perished. Rather, he has time-jumped, and has greatly affected the past…and by past, I mean ancient Greece."

Perseus had a feeling where this was going.

"The only way to stop this creature is to stop it dead in its tracks, and if we don't, it could mean the end for the Gods, Olympus, and eventually, your world."

"No big deal, I save the day every weekend. What do I have to do?"

"You will have to…do the opposite of reincarnate. '_Disincarnate_', if you will. Go back in time, and become your previous ancestors, and save the day."

"What is this, _Assassin's Creed_ or something?"

"No not really. You actually reincarnate as your ancestor in the past. You don't simply relive the memories, you _become_ the person, with his memories, experiences, and mindset."

"Sounds like a video-game."

"Sometimes the best way to help others is to see things in a different light."

"What up with the deep, psychological meaning?"

"I'm a God…it's kind of my thing."

Percy sighed once more, seeming to treat said action as a habit in the last ten minutes, and sat down opposite the Blacksmithing God. Looking at him, he had a disapproving look in his eyes. maybe, after all this time, he was sick and tired of saving the world every other week.

"So? Do you accept my challenge?"

"Well…"

"Too late! Good luck!"

Percy glared at the God as he stood, walking towards the exit.

"Through that door is the portal to the past. Remember, you won't wak up as yourself, you'll wake up as a historical hero. Oh, and Percy?"

The son of the Sea God turned reluctantly, unimpressed by Hephaestus' smirk and groaned. "What now?"

"You know not every hero has a happy ending. But as a God I can see the future. And let me just say...he looks an awful lot like his father."

"W-What?" was all Percy could muster, before a vortex of blinding white light engulfed him as the door opened.

* * *

><p>When Percy awoke, he was on a beach shore. And wearing…old clothes? His shirt was only a T-shirt because the sleeves had been torn, and he wore a tattered brown kilt over his skin tight pants which felt like a rudimentary form of under-armor. His hair was cut short and his face was…hairy. Good Lords, it had felt as if he hadn't shaven his face in months. His shadow was dark enough to be considered a beard.<p>

That was not the only change. He felt under his arms…armpit hair galore. He pulled his shirt towards his head, revealing the most cut body he had ever seen. Easily three times as muscular as his normal shape...

"Where is that man?" he heard a young woman yell. Not knowing if the anger in her voice was for or against him, he desperately looked for a weapon. Turning back to the shore, he found the most perfectly carved bow laying on the sand, and a quiver of arrows lying beside it. Silver arrows.

"Where am I—Whoa!" he yelled to himself, startled by the natural, manly grunt in his voice. He had to have been at least in his thirties, there was no way an eighteen-year-old boy could look and sound as he did.

He grabbed the bow and arrows, holding them close, to find a woman staring up at him about fifteen feet away. He hair was a deep shade of auburn and he silver dress was cut short and torn slightly at the cut off, resembling someone who ahd just fought a lion or some other wild animal. The one thing that gave away her identity was her eyes…a cool shade of bright silver.

_Artemis_.

"Where have you been? Have you been here all this time?"

"I don't know where 'here' even is."

She studied the form in front of her. "Why do you speak so?"

"What? What do you mean?"

Her silver eyes slit into a half blink, her frustrations rising from within. "Your speech. Broken, chopped it is. Have ye eaten some grime and feel sick?"

Percy tried not to laugh. She sounded exactly like Zoe from when he was fourteen. "Um, this is how I normally talk?"

"What is 'um'?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said 'Um.' What is this word? I have not familiarized myself with it."

"It's what people say when they don't know how to start a sentence."

"Why would you speak without knowing what to say? Are you a fool?"

Percy laughed for real this time. He threw his quiver across his shoulders and lay the bow around his head, so it wrapped around his form in a diagonal fashion.

"Your accent is adorable."

Artemis blushed. _Blushed_. Percy tried incredibly hard not to burst out in laughter and hug her. But he knew that that would be an instant death wish.

"It is not adorable…silly man. It is how we speak in this world, as you very well know."

"Evidently not me."

She paused. "Was it truly that attracting to you?"

Percy froze. She wasn't supposed to say those things. She was…Artemis! The maiden Goddess…the _definition _of "maiden."

"W-What?"

She laughed. "Come Orion, we must return to your hut."

He was now incredibly confused. "Did you just call me Orion?"

"Yes, my love. Come, we must return to Delos. Enough hunting for today."

She called him "love." Percy's face was eternally stuck in a state of confusion and bafflement.

"Is something wrong?" Artemis asked, turning back to Percy.

"N-No…my _love_," he said. Gods that felt weird.

Artemis smiled and took his hand, and together they ran off into the forest towards Delos. All Percy could think of were a few things. One, his name was Orion. Two, he was Orion. And Three, he was dating Artemis. His conclusion was rather simple.

"I am _so_ not in Kansas anymore."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I don't care what anyone says, that last line totally worked. Even though I'm sure Percy has never been to Kansas before in his life. Sorry for not updating in almost a month…or was it two? I don't know anymore, but hopefully this chapter makes up for it! Yeah, and you should review more after you read so I know that this story is not completely lost on you and you don't want to kill my family. Just kidding. A bit of dark humor never hurt anyone. Peace! **_

– _**Chris**_


	19. Just A Little Too Close

**Just a Little Too Close**

"So where are we going?" Percy/Orion asked, being tugged by a giddy Artemis.

Artemis turned and smiled, running more quickly. "We are headed to the Olympics, love! And we will be _late_ if you do not hurry with your footing!"

The man shrugged. He did not know much about the classic Olympic Games, other than the fact that in those times they were held for the entertainment of the Gods. Oh, and brutal. It happened to be quite more brutal.

When they entered the arena, the crowd was stunning. Percy stared in awe as the thousands of viewers stood in admiration for the contenders.

"Keep in mind, we will be here for some time," Artemis whispered as they took their seats, among the other immortals in their high-end box.

Percy sat in boredom. Truth be told, blood, guts, and perspiration failed to amuse him as it had done for the others. His only concern was whether he would learn anything from this story, or just have to resort to taking down some unknown, time-jumping beast.

It was the latter.

Before the crowd could react, the very familiar monster flashed in beside the marathon runners, cutting through their ranks and racing to the front. Percy froze, unsure of what to do. Instinctively, his hands reached for Orion's bow and quiver. Drawing back the bow, his body had seemed to run on its own accord, as he could not register his actions.

He fired the most perfectly straight arrow, directly piercing the hide of the beast. Percy's eyes widened…he had never fired a perfect arrow before. It was so…_easy_. Perhaps, if he did not know better, he would have thought that his lesson in this story was to learn perfected archery, but he doubted it.

"Orion!" Artemis called. Nevertheless, it was too late…her "lover" had already hopped over the balcony and onto the arena's track, chasing after the beast with impossibly large strides in his step.

"Your lover _really_ likes to hunt," Aphrodite smirked, almost unemotionally. "I'd go and catch him if I were you."

Artemis wasted no time listening to her family's smart-aleck quips. Hopping over the balcony in respect to how Orion had done, she trotted after him, catching up to him in a matter of seconds…Godly speed, it had seemed, came in handy more than once.

"Orion, what are you doing!" Artemis shouted. Percy/Orion ignored her as he chased after the monster before him.

"No time, Artemis! Either help or stay clear!"

Before taking the time to catch a glimpse of the death glare she had given him, Percy leaped onto the back of the beast, sticking two identical arrows into its back. The beast roared, and the arena fell silent as they watched the Goddess and the Hunter fend off the mysterious monster.

"Does this thing die?" Percy asked in a shout. "_EVER_?"

"No, I do not believe it ever does," Artemis said in a calm tone. For a second, Percy had actually forgotten her identity as the Goddess of the Hunt. She was not used to stressful situations involving hunting monsters.

Percy ducked and rolled out of the way, before watching in frustration as the monster disappeared yet again, in a flurry of cosmic energy.

Artemis shook her head, walking slowly over to a hunched Percy, who rested his head down and laid his arm upon his thigh in a relaxed position. Artemis took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, his eyes meeting hers.

"Shall we return to your hut then?" she asked with a faint smile. He did not protest.

* * *

><p>Walking to "Orion's" hut was a long and tedious hike, but walking it with Artemis seemed to make it that much more enjoyable. It had felt weird noticing how beautiful Artemis was…or how endless her silver eyes were. On the other hand, her pouty lips were too. Oh, and that <em>sexy<em> auburn hair.

_Whoa._

Percy recollected the fact that these thoughts belonged to _Orion_ and not him. Before today, he had never once looked at the Maiden Goddess in that fashion. It weirded him even more so that her eyes twinkled every time he spoke, and how she practically floated behind him every time he walked ahead of them.

They sat down on a rock together, taking a break from their journey. Percy struggled to find parting words, knowing that this memory had to be coming to an end sooner or later. He cleared his throat.

"Well Artemis," he faltered. "Thank you for the lovely walk. I am afraid, however, I must part ways." It was amusing to speak so formally.

"Oh, well, tell me thou at least had fun?" she asked…in a voice a bit too…sultry for him.

"Oh, yes. Very much so."

"Would thouest enjoy something equally entertaining?" she said, leaning in…

Percy froze. Normally any man would die to taste the forbidden kiss of Artemis the Chaste. But it was strange, uncomfortable…virgin Goddesses did not _kiss_. She was, at least in his opinion, just a little too close.

Before he could protest, her eyes widened and she saw her lips part. She was barely audible as he heard hissing in the background, and was thrown to the floor by her hand.

He struggled to his feet, but as he turned, his vision froze in place. In front of him lay the behind of a giant scorpion, and his tail had snaked around to the backside of him.

He had been stabbed.

Artemis ran over to him, calling out Orion's name in impossibly loud sobbing.

* * *

><p>Percy awoke in yet another body. He was in a bed, shirtless. However, this time, he was <em>ripped<em>. As in Arnold Schwarzenegger. His skin was dark from what had looked like dirt. Moreover, on his face, he felt heat.

It was not heat…it was a beard. A HUGE beard. In ran an old friend. Her voice was not filled with the same malice that he had remembered.

"Hercules, thee must awaken quickly! We have been compromised!"

_Oh Gods, here we go_.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I realize how long this update took. But the other chapter should be up by the end of this next weekend, or sometime in that following week. It won't be another month, I can assure you. Read, Review, or carry on with your day. However, the first two would be very wise decisions, just saying.**_

– _**Chris**_


	20. Saving Grace

**Saving Grace**

Percy awoke with a start, in a bed at the center of Hephaestus' workshop. Behind a curtain, he was fiddling with a computer, muttering for someone to "wake up." Apparently, all that had transpired had been a dream, albeit an extremely vivid one. He shifted across the sheets to sit up, still in his uniform, and the God hurried out to look and see.

"Percy!" he exclaimed, ecstatic that the demigod was now awake.

"Something wrong, Lord Hephaestus?" he replied, stretching his shoulder muscles.

"Yes, I am afraid the machine used to send you to the past was rather, er…_prone_ to malfunction. For the longest time I feared you would not wake."

"I thought the machine was supposed to cause me to relive every hero up until the present. You terminated it at Hercules. Why?"

Hephaestus took off his blacksmith apron and helped Percy to his feet, handing him his prized sword, Riptide, which had been confiscated during his unconscious state.

"Unfortunately, your friend has been compromised. Thalia Grace, lieutenant of the Hunters, has been kidnapped by the monster you were hunting."

"So if she was in danger why did you detain me here?" he asked, springing up and ready for action.

"You would not wake, boy!" the God hissed. "And if I were you, I would spend less time worrying about how it happened, and more time finding your way back to the Agents and such. Here, take this."

The God handed Percy a wristwatch, which he properly fastened on his left wrist. It shone a bright white color, like many other devices he had previously encountered, and hummed much like his gauntlet when he was in combat.

"This device will separate your molecular makeup and send it to a destination of your choice, then re-commence. In turn, you will be able to teleport much like a God does."

Percy pressed the side buttons of his new wrist contraption, and thought of where his fellow Agents would be. _WHOOSSSHHH._

Percy could feel the molecules in his body separating, giving him the visual of disintegrating. It stung a bit, but he figured it would. One by one, his molecules vanished and began their journey towards the Agents…the unusual thing was, Percy could _feel_ portions of his mind, body, and soul travel across the planet to wherever his friends were. The process was long and spliced, and the young demigod could not help but groan in agony as his body was being literally ripped piece by piece.

Fortunately, when Percy gained control of his eyesight once more, he found his body, as a whole, at the center of a moving fleet of Agents, who stopped dead in their tracks. Their eyes widened when they saw their former leader.

"PERCY!" they all shouted in unison, running over and hugging him tightly. Nico was the first to pull away, and he oddly sniffed the air around the Son of Poseidon, causing him to scowl.

"Hey! You don't reek of alcohol anymore!"

"Yes, Nico. I have recently decided that I have more to offer this world than just stumbling through it intoxicated. I am now officially alcohol-free."

Nico squeezed him once more.

"We'd love to stay and chat but unfortunately, some of our friends are in danger," the commander Chaos stated. "Perseus, if you don't mind, the boys could use some encouragement."

Percy strode up to the front of the group, a look of determination in his eyes. The Agents turned to him expecting a harsh lecture on why they had not looked for him, but instead, his voice was steady and almost fatherly.

"I know I have been gone for…weeks," he began, "but I've learned a lot in that time. This new monster…you cannot stop it. Not without something that any of us have. I've spent time…as other heroes, learning what made them who they are, and why they chose to do the things they did. The process was cut short but I can still _feel_ the presence of their memories even if I did not experience them personally. Orion especially, and Hercules, Theseus, Achilles, Jason and the original Perseus. Now I realize what being a hero means. It does not mean having something others do not have, that makes you special. It is not even about being a good person. It is about…being there for people. It is about defending those who can't defend themselves because NO ONE else can do it."

Chaos smiled and urged Percy to continue.

"I lost my way," he cracked. "I made mistakes, and I blamed others for them. I drowned myself in alcohol and I believed that I could handle things on my own, because I was the _'Savior of Olympus_.' And after everything, I think that anyone can be a hero…but first they have to accept that everyone, even heroes, sometimes need a little help."

The crowd cheered and knocked their weapons together.

"Well, Lord Apollo and Thalia Grace need a little help _right now_. Now we can be like I was and trust that they can handle it, and risk everything. OR, we can stand and fight, and save them. Because no. One. Else. Will. So who thinks they have what it takes to be a hero? Who thinks they can save our friends?"

"YEAHHHH!" the Agents cheered, standing upright and ready to go.

"Well then, let's get to it."

* * *

><p>There was only one person the Agents knew was an expert at tracking animals and, more specifically monsters: Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt. With her help, Thalia would be saved rather quickly.<p>

There were two complications, however. First, the Hunters no longer had liaisons with the Agents, and found them to be feeble and less motivated since Chaos took over in Apollo's absence.

When they reached the Hunters' camp, all eyes were on them. The boys received glares from every direction, both violent and non-violent. Reaching Artemis' tent, the Goddess eyed the boys expectantly.

"So I'm guessing you know?" she asked, obviously referring to Thalia.

"We do," Percy stated. "And we also know that our former leader is there too. We can't stop that thing without working together."

Artemis nodded slowly, looking at Chaos as if the two knew something Percy did not.

"OK, we'll do it, on one condition," she said reluctantly, stepping out of the way so Chaos could face everyone.

"Percy Jackson must stay out of this quest."

The entire tent flew into a frenzy of shouting and protest, most claiming that Percy's presence was above all necessary. Chaos and Artemis found difficulty silencing the crowd of boys, until Percy spoke up.

"With all due respect, Lord Chaos," he began, "I don't know how you're going to motivate these guys to fight without me."

"Unfortunately it has to happen," Chaos said through closed teeth. "This monster seems to have some connection to you and your ancestors. We can't risk losing control of the situation."

"What the hell am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

"We've hired a friend of ours to look after you."

"Who?" he asked carefully. He froze, wondering who it could possibly be. He secretly prayed it would not be someone such as Athena or Ares, two Gods who he feared would be his worst nightmares. _No one _was worse than those two.

Chaos tried not to laugh. "Lady Aphrodite."

_Shit_. It was worse.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: This one took awhile. I owe you all an apology. I've been busy for quite awhile but now I have returned, and you all can expect an update sometime next week…hopefully better than THIS installment. R&R…although I don't deserve it. :/**_

– _**Chris**_


	21. The Worst Kind of Babysitter

**The Worst Kind of Babysitter**

Percy banged his head against the wall of the room. Aphrodite did not look up from her magazine, but in his peripheral he could see her roll her eyes.

"You know, I'm not some demon goddess here to torture you," she said. Percy cringed at the sound of her nails piercing the surface of the page and turning it slowly. Though he had to admit, there were far worse sounds.

"Aphrodite, it isn't you—"

"'It's not you, it's me'?"

"It's Thalia. My friends. They won't last without me. They don't know what they're up against."

Aphrodite shook her head and sat up, staring at Percy as if he were insane. Snapping her fingers, a holographic display appeared over their heads. It was of the Hunters and the Agents, fighting what seemed to be a giant scorpion—

Wait…giant _scorpion_?

Finally, Percy understood.

"Why is this monster is trying to recreate history?"

"That's a bit far-fetched, Percy."

"No listen," he interrupted. "Why else would a giant scorpion, of _all things_, attack Artemis and her Hunters? This has to be why Hephaestus had me relive those heroes' lives. I was supposed to learn something from it. Orion was killed by a scorpion, sent by Apollo, which Artemis never really forgave him for—Aphrodite, the dead can't come back to life, right?"

The love goddess paled. Percy's eyes squinted, pressing the question further, all while she moved away from him to avoid his gaze. Thankfully, she turned back to him after a few moments, struggling to speak, as if afraid to give him the truth.

"There is a place. A place called the Doors of Death. If opened, the dead can…appear again. As spirits, meant to haunt those they deem responsible for their demise. They are not true souls, but angered mockeries."

Percy swallowed hard. "And who can open these 'doors'?"

"Percy…"

"Don't lie to me, Aphrodite. I had amnesia for months and I know who the bad guy is. Tell me the truth. Is Gaea planning to open the Doors of Death?"

Aphrodite nodded. Percy placed his hand over his mouth and punched the bench near himself and the Goddess, breathing heavily from frustration.

"Orion is going to come back. He's gonna haunt Artemis…shit. Apollo isn't a hostage. He's a godsdamn sacrifice. He's the blood of Olympus. This isn't a matter of the prophecy of the monster. The monster is Gaea. And the prophecy in motion is the Seven. Aphrodite you have to send me there, these demigods are going to die."

"Percy I don't know—" Her sentence was cut short by Percy grabbing her shoulders, pleading for her cooperation.

"Aph, you don't understand. Gaea is the monster! And Heracles, betraying Zoe for the sword…they are following a false lead and one of those Hunters or Agents is a plant, meant to lead them astray…meant to betray them, as Heracles had! This is what your husband was trying to say, but couldn't outright blurt. He wanted me to figure this out before Thalia and Apollo are sacrificed to Gaea, so she can wake. We don't have time for your pondering, the world is literally at stake here! _Please_!"

The Goddess of Love smiled sadly and snapped her fingers a second time, giving Percy his weapons back. "I know they'll kill me for this. But it's so hot when you get all 'save-the-world-y' on me. I'll send you to them."

Percy smiled and gripped his gauntlet, awaiting teleportation.

_ZZZTTTTTT!_

* * *

><p>His arrival was not pleasant, however…a horde of Hunters, Agents, and Artemis were headed straight toward him, with bows and blades at the ready.<p> 


	22. A Good Ol' Honeypot

**A Good Ol' Honeypot**

Percy ducked as an arrow flew over his head, before falling to the ground when Artemis ran into and toppled over him. He dusted himself off and rose to his feet. Both the Agents and the Hunters stared at him, wondering how he had been released from his "grounding."

"What are you doing here, Perseus?" said Artemis, handing him Riptide, which had fallen to the dirt.

"Got out on good behavior." He placed the pen in his pocket and looked around the forest, listening for a roar. "You're in danger, Artemis. You all are."

Confused, the Hunters raised their bows to him. He placed his hands up for them.

"Guys, you can't go any further without listening to me," said Percy. "You can't save Apollo without hearing this."

"Elaborate," said Artemis, unconvinced. Percy moved a step or two away from her and put his hands down to explain.

"Apollo is a sacrifice, not a hostage," the demigod said, not even looking at Artemis as he spoke. "So is Thalia. Ever heard of the Doors of Death?"

They all shook their heads.

"It's the portal from which monsters can be reborn…come back, to haunt us. As they open, Gaea can wake up."

"The Earth Mother?" Nico called out in disbelief.

"With the help of Thalia or Apollo's blood, yes."

The Hunters covered their mouths while the Agents ran their hands through their hair. Percy went on.

"You barge in their unannounced, they kill Apollo and Thalia right there. As soon as their blood hits that floor, we're all screwed. No more Gods. No more demigods. No more anyone. Gaea will have her revenge on the Olympians by any means necessary."

Artemis cleared her throat. "So we can't rush to save them, but we can't let them die either. What do you propose we do?"

"Have the best archer here follow me."

* * *

><p>The Agents and the Hunters stood behind Percy and Artemis as they peered over a hill of marsh, seeing Thalia and Apollo strung up by ropes from a large sequoia. Percy grimaced before turning to Artemis and the others.<p>

"Alright I need an Agent and a Hunter on either side of the two sacrifices," said he, pointing to the area below. "I don't care who. Flip coins or something. You two are gonna slaughter anything that comes within ten feet of them. We need them alive and bloodless at all costs."

Phoebe and Nico looked at each other and nodded, then stepped forward; luckily, none of the others gave objections. Percy nodded and stepped aside for them to take position, then stood behind Artemis.

"You fire on my mark," said Percy. The goddess maintained her stoic expression, drawing back her bow and staying ever so still.

The forest was still. There were no birds, wolves, or even bugs scurrying. A single bead of sweat on the Moon Goddess' face raced its twin resting on Percy. Phoebe and Nico each gave Percy a thumbs up, which he saw from his peripheral. Then, with a sound as sharp as the one that followed it, he spat, "fire."

The second arrow accomplished the same as the first: slicing the ropes in two, having Thalia and Apollo fall to the ground. Nico and Phoebe, fast as lightning, stood by their sides, scanning the surrounding forest area around their sacrificial ground.

Phoebe looked up to the marsh. "Where is everyone?" she said. "I don't see any monsters…not even a knife to cut them."

The Hunters and Agents shared equally perplexed expressions. Where _was_ Gaea's army? Where were the tools necessary to obtain the blood?

Then Percy's eyes widened.

"Maybe the monster…doesn't haunt you with your past."

The group shifted toward him to listen.

"Maybe it's…fear?" he said.

"You think we're afraid of our pasts?" said Jason.

Percy shook his head. "No. _Most people_…most people fear their past but we're all so dark inside, none of that matters. We fear losing our friends."

Artemis stayed her gaze to the land below. "But if they _aren't_ the blood of Olympus…who is?"

As she said that, Chaos appeared behind them, and rushed in front of Percy and Artemis. "Get out of there!" he said, his voice frantic. He turned his head slightly back to the frenzy behind him. "Way to fall for Gaea's little honeypot scheme!"

Percy's worst fear was realized as a spear flew in and grazed Nico. The last thing they all saw before hell broke loose was a single drop of demigod blood fall to the ground.


End file.
